


Glints Saga: Papillon

by LilithFairen



Series: Glints Saga [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F, Fantasy, Following Your Heart, Friendship, Human/Non-human Romance, Lesbian Characters, Lesbian Romance, Magical Girls, New Adult, Romance, Urban Fantasy, optimistic, positive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-02-19 13:08:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 100,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22144744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilithFairen/pseuds/LilithFairen
Summary: Faye Brice saved the world...five years ago. Now she lives an ordinary life, in a city where the magical beings that had invaded the world are now welcomed guests. Her mundane routine is broken by her chance encounter with a butterfly-woman who irresistibly piques Faye's curiosity and fascination. But will bringing magic back into her life fracture her friendships with her fellow heroines and risk the secrets they share—or even endanger the peace they once fought for?
Series: Glints Saga [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2152638
Comments: 28
Kudos: 44





	1. Once-Magical

Her eyelids felt so heavy, she didn’t know if her eyes were open or closed. She couldn’t tell if she was upright or lying down or even upside-down. Even if her arms and legs and body weren’t bound, the weariness seeping through her would have left her motionless anyway. And her body…her whole body was numb, devoid of any feeling other than a faint cold wind that brushed over her, over a vague warmth somewhere inside of her…

How long had she been in this darkness? How could she tell? Seconds, perhaps minutes or even hours and days vanished into nothingness.

All that kept her company were her thoughts, her recollections. Of the past, of the present…or rather the more-recent past, given her current present. Moments that emerged from the void, while other details around them were consumed by the shadows. Those memories danced through her head, a glow in the all-encompassing blackness, a light that kept the darkness all around her from forcing its way in.

Memories of…them.

Memories of…herself.

Memories of…of _her_ …

* * *

Though Faye had never been one for selfies, she’d kept two such photos across three different phones over the years. She stared with a smile at the one she used as her phone’s wallpaper: a picture of her and her high-school friends. If she hadn’t known better, Faye would have never imagined the five teenage girls with bright eyes and eager grins had held the fate of the world upon their shoulders.

She closed her eyes, picturing the second selfie—the image in her mind, rather than how the photo had turned out. The five of them together, in their vivid, colourful garments. She was Papillon again, her heart welling with fear and tension, yet wonder and anticipation…

When Faye opened her eyes, she noticed the time—six minutes after when she usually left for work. Her smile shrank as she put her phone away in her pocket, slung her tote bag over her shoulder, and took the elevator from the seventh floor down to the first.

The muted symphony of downtown Garden City erupted into full life as she pushed open the glass doors of the apartment building. Cars flowed through the street, a medley of electric-engine hums with the rare gas-powered rumble here and there. A bus rolled by the sidewalk, the gust of wind ruffling Faye’s light-brown hair. Down the street, a monorail train glided over the intersection ahead.

Faye munched on a granola bar as she prepared her mind for work. Not that today would be different in any way—just the same inputting of figures, names, addresses, whatever relevant information. Data entry wasn’t a glamorous career, but it paid decently and Garden City had no shortage of companies needing staff for that kind of work. It didn’t require advanced training, it wasn’t difficult, it was simple work. Routine work.

 _Normal_ work.

Just as she stuffed the wrapper into her jean-jacket pocket, a scream cut through the urban cacophony.

Faye’s head jerked up, her eyes wide. Her heart started to race, and deeper within, a familiar warmth flared up. That instinct had never gone away, it seemed, even with how long it’d been since she’d last heard panic in public. But no one was fleeing in terror from the source of the shout, and a few were even hurrying towards it. What could it have been, then?

With a deep breath, Faye hurried ahead, weaving around those in her way. When she reached the corner, she spotted several people around someone on the street. Faye ran between two parked cars and past a mangled bicycle with its front wheel missing. Approaching the scene, she asked, “What happened?”

One of the men standing there turned to Faye. “Some yahoo rear-ended her. He just sped off.” 

The others there were kneeling to pick the injured bicyclist up. Faye closed in, bending down to help lift the woman up. Crimson smears stained the bicyclist’s skin and clothing, and every slight movement prompted sharp gasps from her. Along with the three or four other folks there, Faye carried out of the way of the waiting traffic, lowering her onto the sidewalk. “Are you okay?” she asked the woman.

Through a heavy breath, the woman replied, “My knee…I think it’s…!”

She was wearing kneepads, but given her scrapes and cuts, Faye imagined she’d hit the ground hard enough to still break or fracture something. Faye’s mind raced, trying to recall any details from the first-aid training she’d taken in her first job after high school. But nothing came back to her, nothing she felt confident enough to act on. Should she call for an ambulance? One of the men who’d helped was already on his phone; she caught the word “ambulance” leaving his mouth.

The adrenaline seeped away, along with the warmth deep within. Faye stood up and stepped back. She’d done all she could do here. At least it hadn’t been too serious. Faye turned and started away from the scene. Hopefully the ambulance would arrive soon, that the woman wasn’t too badly—

Before Faye could finish that thought, her head perked at the sight of a billowing white figure on the sidewalk just ahead of her. As it passed by her, Faye blinked a few times, unsure if she had imagined the ghost-like person. But the woman with wispy white hair and long pointed ears almost as pale was still there when she glanced over her shoulder.

The people at the front of the crowd turned towards the strange woman, despite her not making a sound. A few stepped out of the way, though the man who’d been on his phone gave her a particularly-shifty look. Faye walked closer as the pale woman knelt before the bicyclist, who stared at the newcomer with wide eyes. The injured woman shuddered as the locks around her ears puffed up ever so slightly—something Faye wouldn’t have noticed if she hadn’t known to watch for it. “Uhh…” The bicyclist blinked several times before her gaze returned to the strange woman. “Um, okay…”

The pale woman reached forward, her slender hands having only three long fingers and no thumb. The injured woman’s clothes began to ruffle, as if a gentle current was breezing over her skin. Though the bicyclist winced, she didn’t make any sounds of pain. A light wind brushed against Faye’s legs, which no one else seemed to react to—was it just her imagination, or something only she could feel?

She looked back just as the ghostly woman lifted her hands away. Though blood still stained the bicyclist’s skin, the cuts and scrapes had vanished. The injured woman tenderly tested her knee, each movement provoking a small twitch but no sharp cries of pain. “It…it doesn’t hurt nearly as bad now…”

The man who’d been on his phone knelt down, putting a hand on the woman’s shoulder. “You should still stay put. I’ve called for an ambulance, they can make sure you’re alright.”

The bicyclist nodded as the pale woman rose to her feet. As she brushed dust off of her loose white robe, Faye stared at the face of the strange woman. She would have seemed gaunt had her face had any visible bones. No mouth was upon the woman’s face, not even the faintest line where a human’s would be. Her eyes were a cloudy grey, like a stormy sky about to ignite with lightning—just like the eyes framed by similar faces that had borne no emotion while Faye and her friends withstood vicious gales; like eyes that had fixed upon Faye moments before a massive gust had launched Faye off of her feet, flinging her into the building behind her hard enough to make her vision blur…

The pale woman turned her face away, snapping Faye back to the present. She didn’t look back, didn’t make any gesture—had Faye’s stare seemed suspicious or judgemental? “I’m…” Faye started, but the woman didn’t respond to her voice.

Before the ghostly woman got too far away, the bicyclist called out, “Hey, thank you!”

The white woman stopped and turned around. This time, Faye knew the gentle breeze that passed over her from the direction of the woman wasn’t her imagination. She turned around once more, continuing on her way.

Behind Faye, one of the bystanders said, “I wasn’t hearing things then, right? You heard that? Was that…how they talk?”

“I guess so,” said another bystander. “I heard it too, felt it in my ears.”

The man kneeling by the bicyclist asked, “You okay? She didn’t do anything funny to you, right?”

“No, I feel…better, really.” The injured woman flexed her knee a few more times. “I thought it was broken, bu—” Her voice cut out with a quiet gasp. “Well, it isn’t as bad now…” She glanced around to the other bystanders, including Faye. “Who was she… _what_ was she?”

The name of their kind, or at least what humans now called them, had escaped Faye’s mind in the excitement. “A sylphid,” Faye replied. “Some sort of wind-being.”

“I…I didn’t think Outsiders could do that,” the bicyclist continued. “Heal people, I mean. I guess that’s magic, huh.”

Even Faye wouldn’t have thought so, but then again, what limitations did any magical being have? She turned to the direction that the sylphid had gone, but couldn’t see the ghostly woman. Where had she gone? Where _would_ she have gone, anyway? Surely she had been going somewhere before noticing the disturbance…

Wondering about that reminded Faye that she had her own place to get to, and would probably be late by now. The bicyclist seemed like she’d be fine, so Faye headed back to the intersection. Thankfully, the stop-handed changed to the walk symbol just as she arrived. Maybe if she kept a brisk pace, she’d make it to work on time.

But the more she tried to set her mind back on work, the more her pace slowed. How would it feel to have an injury mended by wind-like magic? Did it have a similar calming effect to a sylphid’s “voice”? What kind of human injuries could they treat? So many questions danced through her mind, mingled with what she knew about sylphids already…

…things an “ordinary” human like herself couldn’t possibly know.

Faye stopped for a moment to sigh, then continued on. She needed to get her mind in gear, but how could she not think about that Outsider? After all, what about _normal_ could compare to _magic_?

She shook her head. She knew she shouldn’t let such thoughts cross her mind.

But she couldn’t deny how true it felt for her once-magical life.


	2. Wings

Though her work was rarely intense or difficult, Faye left Pathfinder R&D a minute past five with the same weary pace as usual. Most evenings, she’d drag herself on home, get supper started, and collapse into her armchair while awaiting the six o’clock news.

But she’d made other plans for tonight during her lunch break. Faye had been enjoying her tuna sandwich and apple juice—some things hadn’t changed since high school—when her phone vibrating in her pocket snapped her away from thoughts of Outsiders. Elia _Maillard_ had read the name on the screen before Faye tapped it. _Hey Faye, wanna meet up tonight? Usual place._

With a smile, Faye had answered, _Sure, see you after work!_

A light drizzle stained the pavement and sprinkled dark spots over Faye’s shoulders. The ominous clouds overhead threatened more than that, and Faye hastened her pace, hoping to get to the Fireside before it started pouring. She could have taken a bus, but it wasn’t that far a walk. And even on a gloomy day, Garden City was a beautiful place to walk through. From the sleek and almost-futuristic office towers that dotted the city, to government buildings with a Greek flair to their design, and all kinds of places with aesthetics Faye couldn’t recognize off-hand, not a single one looked worn-down or out-of-place.

The local Fireside restaurant nestled at the corner of an intersection was a small and plain building, the rustic weathered brick gave it its own charm alongside the rest of downtown. Cars filled the drive-through, commuters patiently awaiting their evening caffeine. Everyone said the Fireside had the best coffee in the city, but their sandwiches and soups were excellent too—just perfect for a rainy spring day, Faye thought.

Though she didn’t care for the flavour of coffee, the overpowering fragrance alongside the more subtle aromas within the Fireside were as inviting as ever. A line of customers waited to be served, with most of the tables populated. Faye looked over to the table in the corner she and Elia usually took, but no one was there, nor did she spot Elia anywhere else in the restaurant.

Stepping out of the way of the door, Faye checked her phone. Elia had sent a message; she must have missed the vibration and tone during her walk. _Will be a bit late, sorry. Won’t mind if you want to cancel._

Faye shrugged to herself and replied, _It’s fine, I’ll be here._ She put away her phone and joined the line. Once she had her hot chocolate, she sat at their usual table, singeing her lips on the first sip of her drink. She never learned.

Taking out her phone, Faye connected to the Fireside’s wi-fi. Her first thought, practically an instinct itself, was to check the news online in lieu of her usual ritual. If something pertinent to her did happen, she’d likely hear about it far sooner than six o’clock. But watching the evening news had become a habit Faye just couldn’t break.

Her eyes widened at the first headline that came up on Celsius News’s website: _Mayor Pherson commemorates the anniversary of the Outsider Treaty_. Had that really been one year ago today?

She clicked on the link, her other hand searching for her earphones in her bag. A video began to play of the Mayor standing before a podium, speaking to a press audience while flanked by two men on her left and…a blurred, faded white humanoid-shape with a splotch of yellow over its midsection to her right. An Outsider, then—what kind, Faye had no idea.

Naturally, her earphones wires had twisted themselves into a tangled mess; Faye unravelled them just enough to plug them in midway through the Mayor Pherson’s speech. “ _…alongside ongoing cultural exchanges and exploration, we are working with Outsiders on fantastic ideas and miraculous possibilities that could revolutionize medicine and other scientific fields. Much as different societies throughout human history meeting and sharing ideas has brought us great advancements, so too is our new relationship proving fruitful for both humankind and Outsiders._ ”

The video changed to the Celsius newsroom, where the immaculately-groomed Alonna Shaw sat before a background of white clouds against a clear sky. “ _The Outsider Treaty was announced one year ago today, as the culmination of negotiations between government officials and Outsider leaders. The agreement brought an official end to the Outsider Conflict, an invasion that was thwarted by the five heroines who appeared to protect Garden City from the hostile beings._ ”

The video continued for a few seconds longer before Faye muted it. The rest was all-too-familiar news. The other headlines on the Celsius News site mentioned federal scandals, local events, elections elsewhere in the country…nothing that interested Faye all that much.

She closed the browser, and the selfie of her and her high-school friends appeared on the screen. Faye stood in the back row, next to Lyris…it’d been so long since she’d heard from her. Caitlyn had squeezed into the front-center, her pose alight with an enthusiasm Faye so rarely saw from her these days. Holly, who’d taken the picture, was on the left side—who knew what she was up to now, not that Faye had the slightest idea. And rightmost was Elia, looking almost the same as she looked these days.

Faye glanced around. No one was paying any attention to her, and her back was against the wall. She tapped through several folders, to the second selfie’s hiding-spot. The five of them were all in the same positions, but anyone else wouldn’t have recognized that. Though the tree behind them appeared just as clear, the five of them were blurred medleys of colours, colours that didn’t match in the slightest with what they were wearing in the other photo. They hadn’t known that they too would appear like that in photos when they were in their magical states, but it did answer how the police or government had never managed to figure out their identities. All the public ever knew of them was what humankind had come to call them: the “heroines” of Garden City.

…but that had all ended five years ago, on the day they’d taken these selfies, the day Faye and her friends had saved the world. The day they’d ended the conflict between the human and Outsider worlds. The day they’d returned to being “ordinary” teenagers, promising to each other than they’d only become their magical selves once more if the need truly arose.

The day that, just as suddenly as magic had become part of her life, it had all come to an end.

As she stared at the photo, the image sharpening in her mind, a calm voice spoke up near her. “Excuse me, but would you mind if I sat here for a moment?”

Faye quickly closed the picture before glancing towards the voice. She’d expected to see some woman in slightly-damp clothes standing there. She hadn’t expected to see a white dress in a simple fashion, made of a thick and luxurious-looking material, nor did she expected to see a dark pair of arms at the person’s sides and another pair of dark arms holding their drink.

“Uh…of…of course not,” Faye stammered, drawing her phone closer to her chest.

“Thank you,” the Outsider woman said. While Faye’s stare returned to her phone, the Outsider pushed one chair against the wall and turned the other sideways. As she sat, Faye noticed violet to her sides, as if she had—

Her head darted up, her eyes growing wide at the sight of the butterfly wings that the Outsider bore. They must have been a meter wide, and perhaps a little taller. A thick black border framed the edges. Dark veins that ran through the vivid blue-violet that deepened in shade towards the inside of her wings. Not a single colour elsewhere in the Fireside or out on the street matched the sheer vibrance of those wings, just as contrasting to their surroundings as their owner herself.

The butterfly-woman sipped from the drink she held with her upper pair of arms, while her lower pair of hands rested upon the table. Her visible skin on her forearms and hands was black. Most of her body was covered in a dark-violet fur, starting just above her elbows, and thinner and shorter upon her face. It grew out longer atop her head, forming messy hair that Faye wondered about the styling of—or lack thereof. A pair of feathered antennae protruded from her hair, the same colours as the rest of her skin and fur. Her eyes were dark circles, buggy-looking, with no visible pupils or features or any sign of where she was looking. Her antennae twitched at the edge of Faye’s vision.

…Faye was staring, wasn’t she. The butterfly-woman didn’t say anything or react any further, though. Her eyes didn’t move, didn’t blink. Her thin lips remained straight, emotionless. Only then did Faye realize that her eyes weren’t as large as they had first seemed—bigger than a human’s and a bit buggy, sure, but there was a ring of furless skin around her eyes that had made them seem larger than they really were.

…and she had kept staring. “Sorry…” Faye said, forcing her eyes back to her phone.

“It is fine,” the butterfly-woman said. Her lips curled into an odd smile. Perhaps it was the absence of eyebrows or other human features, the lack of motion elsewhere on her face, that made the expression so strange.

Faye focused on her screen, but she couldn’t help but to wonder about the dress the butterfly-woman wore. It wasn’t the simple design, sleeveless for both arms on each side of the Outsider, that drew Faye’s fascination. It looked like it was woven from silk, raw silk straight from an insect rather than refined as human silk fabrics were. Had the Outsider farmed it from some creature in her world, or…

The Outsider suddenly spoke up. “If I may ask, what is that object you are using? I see humans with them often.”

Faye twitched in her seat at the Outsider’s voice. “Oh…” she started, trying to find the right words. She’d never really thought of how alien commonplace things in the human world must have been to Outsiders. “It’s a cellphone. Humans use them to talk with each other over long distances. And they can do other things, like play music or look up stuff online.”

The butterfly-woman took a sip of her drink, spreading out her lower hands so her upper pair could cradle the cup upon the table. “I see. Thank you for explaining.”

“You’re welcome,” Faye said. She reached for her own drink, but stopped before she took a sip. Would the Outsider even know what “online” meant? Thinking about what she’d said to the Outsider brought Elia back into Faye’s mind. _When will you be here?_ Faye asked Elia via text, hoping Elia wouldn’t walk through the doors at that very moment to find an unexpected guest at their table.

With the text sent, Faye put her earphones back into her bag. She tapped upon her phone, going through random menus, trying to distract herself from the Outsider before her. Staring was rude, but would trying not to look make the butterfly-woman feel unwelcome? Like Faye didn’t want to acknowledge the presence of one of her kind? The last time Faye had seen an Outsider in…come to think of it, she’d never seen an Outsider in a restaurant, not that she treated herself like this often. She would have figured human food would be inedible to Outsiders, but the butterfly-woman drank her coffee just like everyone else here. Did caffeine have any effect on her? Or was it just for something warm to drink, given the crisp weather and how light the Outsider’s clothing seemed?

The butterfly-woman’s lips spread into that odd smile again, and Faye realized that she had realized that Faye was staring again. Averting her eyes, Faye said, “Sorry…”

“For what?” the butterfly-woman asked.

“For…” It seemed obvious to Faye, but perhaps this woman’s people didn’t have similar customs about staring at strangers.

“Your curiosity?”

So it had been obvious. “Yeah…sorry. I’ve never seen one of your kind before.”

“I do not mind,” the butterfly-woman said, followed by a quick sip of her coffee. “It is not as if I do not stare at your people and the wonders of your world.”

A skeptical thought crossed Faye’s tongue, but she held it back. Even with a city as beautiful as Garden City, was there any comparison at all between the human world and the Outsiders’ world? But, of course, she couldn’t say something like that.

“This is a comfortable and peaceful place,” the butterfly-woman said, turning her head slightly towards the rest of the Fireside. “Quiet conversation between companions, warm food and drinks, and a myriad of aromas filling the air. Your people must have so many different tastes for this place to provide so many options.”

Nodding, Faye said, “Well, most folks come for the coffee, but I suppose that’s true.”

“Is your drink coffee? Or something different?”

“It’s hot chocolate. I’m not really into coffee.”

“It has a pleasant smell. I will try it when I come here next.”

Her hot chocolate would have probably been one of the last scents Faye would notice in the Fireside, especially over all the coffee. But all Faye had to go on were her human senses. The butterfly-woman continued to drink her coffee, steam still rising from the spout. The heat didn’t seem to bother her at all.

Setting her coffee down, the Outsider said, “I have yet to introduce myself. My name is Monara.”

Monarch butterflies immediately fluttered into Faye’s mind. Was that a coincidence? “I’m Faye.”

“Faye.” Monara paused for a moment, as if mulling over the name. Then she smiled again. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Faye.”

Though the same words lingered on the tip of her tongue, Faye’s focus went to those beautiful wings. They moved ever so slightly in the tight space between Monara and the low wall behind her. Light from the windows was faintly visible through the wings. They looked so delicate, and with most human places not made for someone with such wings…

Another odd smile formed on Monara’s face. “You are very curious.”

Faye looked back to Monara’s eyes. “Sorry for staring.”

“It does not bother me, Faye. Many humans stare. I do not mind your curiosity.”

How _couldn’t_ people stare with those wings? “Can…can you fly with your wings?”

“In our world, we can. It is difficult for us here. I have seen only one fellow chrysidean who could take flight here, but the effort exhausted him greatly.”

Chrysidean? That must have been what Monara’s kind were called. Faye closed her eyes, but she still couldn’t recall a single Outsider with features like Monara’s. How many other Outsiders of races that Faye had never seen before were now living in Garden City?

When she opened her eyes again, Monara had set her coffee cup down and was rising to her feet. “I would love to discuss more with you, but I am afraid that I have duties to attend to. Thank you for your time, Faye. You were very pleasant company.”

“Yeah, so were…” Faye’s voice trailed off as her stare fixed upon Monara. That silken dress, her furred face, those vibrant wings…

Monara smiled. If she’d been human, Faye would have read nervousness and unease from it—like how most people would react to a gawker. “Perhaps we might meet again,” she said, her voice still calm as she pushed her chair back in. She turned sideways, closing her wings in and carefully avoiding grazing them against the chairs or low wall.

Before Monara could leave, Faye pushed herself up from her seat. “Wait!”

Stopping just as she was about to step away from the table, Monara looked back and said, “Yes?”

A lump rose in Faye’s throat. It was just a simple question, or so it had seemed at first. Even if Monara wanted to talk again, it still felt…weird? Nosey?

But Faye forced it out. “Do you come here often?”

“Yes,” Monara answered, without any hesitation or expression. “I come here for coffee most days in the morning, or in the evening if other matters occupy my time.”

Monara made no mention of exactly when, and Faye had to get to work by nine anyway. Still, Faye replied, “I’ll keep that in mind. Maybe we will meet again.”

“I would like that.” Smiling, Monara said, “Farewell, Faye.”

“Bye!” Faye uttered in a near-squeak, a tone that didn’t cause any visible reaction in Monara. The chrysidean left the table and walked out of the restaurant.

Faye glanced out of the window next to her. The drizzle had grown into a steady rain. Wouldn’t Monara get soaked out there? The answer for that came as soon as Monara walked by the window, her wings flapping slowly, one hand raised over her head. Raindrops continued to fall around her, but not a single dark spot appeared on her dress, nor did a single patch of fur dampen.

Once Monara disappeared from her view, Faye looked back to her phone. A reply from Elia had appeared during their conversation. _Leaving now, be there soon._ Thankfully, Monara wouldn’t be in the way now. Elia probably wouldn’t know she had been there at all.

…but why would Elia care if she had been talking with an Outsider? They weren’t their enemies anymore, and Elia knew that just as well as Faye. So why did it feel like a relief that Elia wouldn’t walk in on them? Because talking with Outsiders seemed a risky thing, given their secret past? Or maybe, Faye figured as she took a sip of her now-warm hot chocolate, she was just glad Elia wouldn’t know how awkward she’d been in front of Monara.

Countless questions still raced through her mind as the minutes passed. Yet that was accompanied by the same wistfulness that always followed her curiosities. Even with Monara’s openness, did she intend to stop in at the Fireside every morning just hoping to run into the chrysidean? Could she take that chance?

Maybe they would meet again one day, and Faye would get to ask…well, at least some of those questions. Until then, she thought with a shrinking smile, all she could do was wonder.


	3. Limitations

Despite frequent glances up from her phone, Elia’s voice came when Faye least expected it. “Hey, Faye!”

Slipping her phone into her pocket, Faye smiled and said, “Hey, Elia. Everything okay?”

Given how water still dripped from Elia’s raincoat and how the wet auburn bangs over her right eye clung to her face, Faye supposed the only reason Elia was smiling was Faye’s company. “Yeah, everything’s fine. Sorry for being late. One of the pool techs’ birthday was today and a few of my co-workers planned a surprise for him.”

“We could have met up another day, if you were busy.”

“Actually, he had plans with his family, but we still had a good little time.” Elia’s left eye glanced to the cup on Faye’s table. “Have you eaten already?”

“Nope, just a hot chocolate. Shall we get in line now?”

Elia nodded, and Faye followed her to the counter, Faye mulled over the choices on the menu above. The turkey and bacon club with chicken soup was her usual choice, but maybe she could use a change of pace. After Elia placed her order, Faye purchased a mild chili instead of the soup along with her club. And a Boston creme donut.

Once their food arrived, they returned to their usual table in the corner. Elia hung her raincoat on the back of a spare chair—the same one Monara had turned to the side—before sitting down with her BLT and chicken soup. The beefy aroma of Faye’s chili tempted her stomach; she would have started on dinner or a snack by now any other day.

Dunking a cracker into her soup, Elia said, “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.”

“It’s fine, Elia,” Faye said, prodding her chili with her plastic spoon.

“Still, I’m sorry I was late.” After a bite of her sandwich, Elia asked, “So, how’s everything? How’s work?”

Faye chewed on a spoonful of her chili while she pondered her response. Warm, savoury, with just a hint of spicy kick to it…she’d have to order the chili more often. “You know…same old, same old.”

“You still haven’t thought about finding something else?”

“It pays well and it’s not hard work. And I’d rather not eat into my savings between jobs.”

Elia took a quick sip of soup. “You should start looking into other things. Something more your taste.”

Faye shrugged, taking another spoonful of chili. “I’ll figure that out once I’ve saved up enough for college. Like I said…”

Her voice trailed off, and silence fell between the two. As Faye reached for her sandwich, a thought crossed her mind. “Hey, Elia. Just out of curiosity, do you see any Outsiders at the Rec Center?”

“Hm?” Once Elia finished chewing, she said, “Yes, we get a few regulars at the pool. A couple of days ago, this one almiran gave us a bit of a panic. He tried to swim, and—”

One eyebrow rising, Faye asked, “An ‘almiran’?”

“They’re one of those horned-rabbit Outsiders. You know…” Elia’s lips curled upward ever so slightly but noticeably as she whispered, “… _Rabblet_.”

Faye chuckled, recalling that memory in an instant. They’d pursued the horned-rabbit-like Outsider into an alley when, in a brilliant flash of light and fog, it transformed into clones of Faye and her friends—save for each copy sporting a pair of rabbit-ears and a spiralled horn. After they’d defeated four of the clones, with only Lyris’s copy left, it’d lunged at Lyris with another flash…and when the smoke settled, there were two horned rabbit-earred Starlets standing before them. Faye had wondered for a moment how they’d figure out which was the real Lyris, until one of the Starlets promptly freaked out about the bunny-ears dangling in front of her face—and the rest of them promptly blasted the _other_ “Starlet”. To Lyris’s relief, the ears and horn vanished along with the Outsider, though the others still had a few chuckles and jokes about it for a while.

“Anyway…” Elia continued, looking over to her side for a moment. “The moment the almiran touched the water, they just…” She waved her fingers in an incoherent gesture. “…it was like a rainbow scattering all over the water’s surface. Everyone freaked out, until the almiran climbed out just fine, like he was appearing out of nowhere from the water. He hadn’t even noticed anything had happened until we told him about it.”

Faye nodded, trying to picture the scene in her head. Elia’s words probably couldn’t do the scene justice. What kind of dazzling sights was she missing out on, things like what they’d seen five years ago, or…or that butterfly-Outsider’s wings…

A few seconds later, as her spoon hovered before her mouth, Elia said, “Why do you ask?”

Shrugging, Faye said, “Like I said, just curious.”

“I would have figured you’d be curious if I met any Outsiders, but you never ask about it.”

All of her questions about Monara flooded back into Faye’s mind, all of the questions that she wished she could have asked the chrysidean. Would Elia know what a chrysidean was? And what would Elia think of it? It wasn’t as if Elia wouldn’t know why Faye found Monara so interesting.

A perfect answer came to mind. “When I was heading to work today,” Faye said, “there was a bicyclist who got hit by a car. A sylphid came over and healed her injuries. I never thought sylphids had healing magic.”

“Well, it _is_ magic. Who knows what limitations Outsiders have on their powers?”

“True.” Who knew what limitations _they_ had on their powers?

Faye started on her turkey and bacon club, while Elia alternated between her BLT and her soup. Her eyes wandered around the restaurant, but no one stood out like Monara had. Of course, no one else in the restaurant had vivid butterfly wings.

“So,” Elia asked, pausing from her meal, “did you get a chance to chat with the sylphid? Or any other Outsiders recently?”

Faye stopped her sandwich short of her open mouth. “No. I’ve never had one really talk to me…” She’d gotten the rare bit of small talk or a random question about human society at times, but what reason did Outsiders have to talk to her over any other human? “And I just don’t want to be nosy about them.”

“You could always look online. The Embassy has a website about Outsiders in the city, you know.”

Did they? It only made sense to give the public an official source of information. But would that only give her more questions she’d never answer?

“And honestly, Faye? A lot of the Outsiders who visit the Rec Center don’t mind my questions about them and their world. I’m sure there’s plenty of Outsiders who’d enjoy your company.”

Faye’s eyes shifted away. Hadn’t an Outsider who enjoyed her company just found _her_? “I…I don’t want to be a bother, and…you know…”

Her voice a bit softer, Elia asked, “Have you ever thought about…finding work involving Outsiders? Learning about them, or introducing them to our world?”

Faye immediately shook her head. “You know we can’t risk that,” she replied in a hushed voice. Elia had to know what was at stake. What if their secret got out? Would research companies and the government pester them to learn more about their magic? Would they become celebrities, without even a moment of privacy? And who knew how Outsiders would react to them?

“You didn’t let it slip back then. And you haven’t let it slip all of these years.”

But it’d only take one mistake to reveal that Faye knew things about the Outsiders and their world that any normal human wouldn’t know. Just discussing this in public, even in a secluded corner of a busy restaurant, was a terrible idea.

After more of her sandwich, Faye said, “So, are you going to have to study aquatic Outsiders in university now?”

This brought a grin to Elia’s face. “I don’t think alien marine biology will be part of the curriculum, thankfully.”

Who knew if such was even possible? Was the concept of biology completely alien to the very nature of Outsiders? Could they even be studied? Plenty of scientific companies and corporations in Garden City wanted to try, but what did they even find? Could their differences from humans be studied? Or the similarities between Outsider races and Earth creatures who bore similar traits, like—

Butterfly wings immediately fluttered into Faye’s mind. With how eye-catching Monara’s wings had been, Faye knew Elia couldn’t have seen a chrysidean before. If she had seen one, she would have told Faye for sure. Still, her brief conversation with Monara didn’t seem worth mentioning. Enjoying her sandwich, Faye pondered other things they could discuss, subjects that would draw their conversation away from thoughts she didn’t want anyone else in the restaurant or even Elia to hear.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

The rain had lightened a little by the time the two had finished their food. Elia still grumbled as they got into her grey sedan, shaking the water out of her hair. It never ceased to surprise Faye how much a little rain bothered Elia.

As Elia pulled out of the Fireside’s parking lot and rolled up to the intersection, Faye asked, “You haven’t heard from Holly lately, have you?”

“No,” Elia said. Her gaze remained on the road ahead, her head turned slightly to the right. “It’s been a while. Probably busy with her job. You know how she is.”

Faye shook her head; she wasn’t so sure of that. “Well, anything from Lyris about what she’s working on now?”

“Nope, I haven’t heard from her too recently. Not that I pry—I don’t want to get her in trouble for leaking.”

“Well, she knows how bad at keeping secrets we are.”

Chuckling, Elia said, “Last time we talked, it sounded like the trailer would be released soon. She does sound enthusiastic about it, a lot more than that last movie she was in.”

Faye did enjoy a good rom-com, and even a good-for-the-wrong-reasons rom-com, but the only good thing she could say about Lyris’s film debut had been…well, Lyris. But work was work. Was sticking to some lackluster movie any different than going along with nine-to-five monotony? It all ended with a paycheck…though Lyris’s paychecks were probably a lot, lot, _lot_ bigger than Faye’s.

Once the light ahead turned green, Elia drove through the intersection. Faye watched the pedestrians they passed by. She didn’t spot a single Outsider among them—or at least one immediately identifiable as an Outsider. A little over a million people lived in Garden City; how many Outsiders lived among them? How many humans, just by ratios, would one see before coming across an Outsider? Normal people did have places to be, reasons to roam the sidewalks of the city. What about Outsiders? Did they wander the city, go to any sort of jobs? What in the human world did they do in their free time?

Elia drove into the parking lot of Faye’s apartment building. “Everything’s fine with you, Elia?” Faye asked as Elia found a spot.

“Yes,” Elia said, putting on the handbrake. “I should have enough saved for university by the end of summer. My boss at the Rec Center says they’re happy to keep me on part-time when I start.” Faye nodded. “Have you figured out what you’re going to study, Faye?”

“I’ll…figure it out eventually.” Faye glanced away from Elia. “I have to save up a bit more, anyway.”

When she turned back, her eyes were drawn to her friend’s frown. “Faye,” Elia asked, “when was the last time you took some time off?”

Faye tried to remember. Earlier in the month, she’d taken a day off to visit the doctor, but it turned out to be nothing serious. Shrugging, Faye said, “Well, weekends…”

“Have you thought about taking some time off? To unwind, relax, maybe even meet some Outsiders?”

She shook her head. Even if she did meet an Outsider willing to talk with her, share more about their world with her…she’d just end up back in her usual routine the very next day.

Still, she could see genuine concern in Elia’s eye. “You’re probably right. I’ll think about it.” That brought a smile to Elia’s face, prompting Faye’s own. “Alright, Elia. I’ll see you later.”

“Bye, Faye,” Elia said, giving a wave as Faye got out of the car. “Take care of yourself.”

Faye stopped at the front door of the building to watch Elia drive away. She headed inside, taking the stairs up to the seventh floor. Faint music and other vague sounds behind apartment doors crossed her ears as she made her way to her apartment.

Once she kicked off her shoes, Faye headed into the den. Her apartment was as clean as always. Every wall was a pure white, with grey tiles in the kitchen and bathroom or tan carpet elsewhere. Her beige armchair and couch fell halfway between the shades of the floor and walls. She hadn’t picked it for the colour; it had been reduced for clearance, was rather comfy, and blending in was a happy coincidence. The oak coffee table and TV stand didn’t match, but they did give some contrast to the room.

Faye sat down on the couch, taking her laptop from the lower shelf of the coffee table. She considered it her one indulgence, even if it wasn’t _that_ expensive. She put on some soft rock. The strumming of acoustic guitars filled her apartment as she fetched herself chips from the kitchen.

One chip was halfway towards her mouth when a thought crossed her mind. What had Elia said over dinner? Something about a government website on Outsiders? She’d always figured something like that had to exist, but what reason had she ever had to look? Faye and her friends knew plenty about Outsiders that wouldn’t be listed there…but perhaps what she’d find would be culture and society, rather than the magics they possessed.

Munching on a chip, Faye rested her fingers on the keyboard in indecision. She stared at her desktop background, a field of flowers on a sunny day. Upon one in the right corner sat a blue butterfly—the very reason she’d picked this one out of the preinstalled images on the laptop. Its wings weren’t the same colour, but it certainly reminded Faye of…

Faye opened her web browser. What did she have to go on? Just what Monara called her kind. She typed in _chrysidean_ , hoping her spelling was correct.

The first link was a government URL—the Garden City Embassy website. Her mouse cursor hovered over the text— _Chrysideans - The Garden City Outsider Embassy_ —as she argued with herself in her mind. Did she want to click on that link? Did she want to know things that would make her wonder more and more, leave her with even more questions about their lives, their powers, their world?

All she was sure of was that if she didn’t, it’d never stop bugging her. Sighing, Faye clicked the link.

When the page loaded, the butterflies in her stomach vanished in an instant. Only one short paragraph of text appeared on the page, along with a hand-drawn black-and-white portrait of a chrysidean. Other Outsiders appeared on a banner atop the screen, standing alongside humans. Each Outsider had obviously been drawn into the pictures, just by the fact that they weren’t blurred and indistinct.

The chrysidean face wasn’t quite like Monara’s, having a more pointed chin and rigid-looking face. A male chrysidean, perhaps? She read the text:

_Chrysideans are a humanoid race bearing magnificent wings and other features similar to butterflies and moths from our world. The first chrysideans have recently been welcomed into Garden City, and we will have more information about their people and culture in the future._

She stared at the text for a few seconds longer, her teeth pressing into her lower lip. Was that disappointment or relief welling within her? It did answer one question—how she’d never seen another chrysidean before—but nothing else. Any other online source would probably be just as scant, or perhaps even incorrect.

Then again…she could ask a chrysidean themselves.

But did she have the time to catch Monara in the morning? Even if she knew Monara went to the Fireside most mornings, what if Monara visited much earlier in the morning? Or after Faye’s work started?

Faye glanced out the window, to the gloomy evening sky. It was still early…maybe if she went to bed an hour earlier…

With a few taps on her phone, her alarm was now set for six o’clock instead of seven. Maybe she’d reconsider in the morning, chicken out, but at least the door was open now.

Once her phone was back on the coffee table, Faye closed the Embassy tab on her browser. Now, more than any wonder or worry, she needed something light-hearted and cheerful to watch that’d take her mind away from Outsiders and silly plans that some ordinary human woman had made.


	4. Curiosity

The bedroom was dimmer than usual when Faye’s alarm roused her the next morning. It took a minute of drowsy confusion before she remembered she’d set the alarm back an hour, and why she’d done so.

While the possibilities had been flooding her mind before she went to sleep, now only the risks lingered. What if she said the wrong thing? What if someone from work spotted them, and wondered why Faye was interested in an Outsider? What if Monara wasn’t even there today?

She rolled over, and spotted the pattern on her pillowcase. Most of her furniture and decoration choices were simple, plain, things she’d chosen that looked _nice_ rather than pretty. Her bedsheets were the one exception. They were a light lavender, decorated with scattered butterflies in a touch-darker purple. Nothing else in her apartment had a butterfly motif; it felt childish enough having butterflies on her blankets.

And perhaps it was a bit childish. She recalled her younger self’s glee whenever she saw a butterfly fluttering about. She’d chase after them, watch them, ask her parents all kind of things about them. Her mom had even caught a caterpillar in a jar so she could see it become a butterfly—little Faye hadn’t believed something she’d once thought of as “ugly” could become something so fascinating and beautiful. She’d even considered a career studying butterflies, but Biology class had never quite agreed with her. Still, it’d been butterflies she’d thought of the day Holly had told her to visualize something close to her heart, something dear and magical to her…

That same curiosity and fascination was what had woken her so early today. And just like Elia had said—if she didn’t bother, wouldn’t she just wonder endlessly about what she had missed?

Faye pulled herself out of bed. Her morning routine didn’t take long, and soon she was out the door, heading down the stairs.

She just hoped Monara would be there when she arrived.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

The streets weren’t quite as busy and noisy as Faye was accustomed to when she left her apartment building, giving an eerie sort of calm to downtown. There had been a time in Faye’s life when she had suspected that she’d never get used to the bustle and chaos, that the nice apartment and proximity to work wasn’t worth the stark difference from the relative calm of the suburbs. It all seemed so natural now, in its own curious way. Having a seventh-floor apartment to seclude herself from it all in probably helped.

Her route was the same that Elia had driven her home the day before. Recalling their conversation and Elia’s encouragement didn’t sate the growing unease in Faye’s stomach—the classic “butterflies”, as she naturally associated that feeling with.

The Fireside came into view across the street. The butterflies began to swirl even faster while she waited for the light to change. What if Monara wasn’t here this early in the morning? Or if she hadn’t come today?

Faye took a deep breath to calm her nerves, then noticed someone walk past her—the light had already changed. She hurried across the street, her eyes fixed on the windows of the restaurant. If Monara was in there, her wings would stand out like the sun in the sky.

But Faye didn’t spot them. The Fireside was maybe half-full, with more customers in the drive-through than the restaurant, but no one inside looked out of the ordinary. No bright colours or odd figures…

She stopped outside of the doors, looking inside. Monara wasn’t there. Faye closed her eyes, thinking for a moment that she could try to _feel_ Monara’s presence within. But perhaps what little of that magical sense she could muster as her normal self had waned from disuse, and none of them aside from Elia had been that good at directly sensing nearby Outsiders in hiding.

Someone bumped into Faye from behind, startling her eyes open and nearly causing her to stumble into the wall. Only then did she consider how odd she must have looked, staring into the restaurant. What now? Head back home and kill time? Stop inside and get herself a donut and hot chocolate? Or just head to work early?

No…not that last one, no. She headed inside, ordering herself a hot chocolate once she reached the counter. She wasn’t in the mood for the donut.

That changed as soon as Faye turned around, her eyes immediately drawn to the familiar pair of violet wings spreading open just inside the restaurant. “Monara!” she said, approaching the chrysidean. “Hello.”

Monara stared at her—or at least Faye figured she was, given the direction her head was facing. She couldn’t tell just based on those blank black eyes. A few moments later, with a small twitch of her antennae, Monara said, “Faye, correct?”

“Yes, it’s me, Faye.”

Monara smiled, an expression that still seemed alien to her face. “Yes. You have reminded me to try the hot chocolate.”

As weird as it seemed to offer, Faye held out her hot chocolate. “Well, I just bought one. Would you like it?”

“I appreciate your generosity,” Monara said, “but I can purchase my own.”

Faye glanced to the growing line over her shoulder. “Well, how about you take this one, and I’ll go buy another one. Then you can sit down, make room for your wings.” That last part sounded… _weird_ after it left her lips. Would it come across as Faye _wanting_ to stare at her?

Monara’s smile crept a touch wider. “That would be fine.” She handed Faye some change from a slit in the side of her dress. “Thank you, Faye.”

Faye rejoined the line, and two minutes later, she hurried over to the table in the corner where Monara was now seated. Monara’s wings commanded her attention; Faye couldn’t help but to stare into those blue-violet depths, as if the shade of her wings was the most beautiful colour she’d ever seen.

Monara took a sip of her hot chocolate as Faye sat down. “A pleasant drink,” she said, followed by a longer sip. “I believe I prefer the coffee, but the flavour might blend well with coffee.”

“Maybe they’d give you a mix if you asked,” Faye said. “The coffee and hot chocolate are the same price.”

“I shall ask of that the next time I am here.”

Faye glanced up to Monara’s face. She wasn’t smiling now, but didn’t seem discontent. Her antennae were upright, the tips splayed a bit. Did they tell more of her emotion than her face? They didn’t seem to move now, even as Faye continued to focus on them.

“I apologize for not recognizing you, Faye,” Monara said, as if unfazed by Faye’s stare. “My people typically recognize other chrysideans by our wings, rather than faces as humans remember each other.”

“I see.” Faye nodded. “I’d know you by your wings easily. Though I suppose it helps that I haven’t seen any other chrysideans in Garden City before.”

“I am one of the first of my kind to visit your world, and one of the rarer few who have chosen to remain longer to see your world.”

Monara took a long sip from her hot chocolate. “So how long have you been in Garden City?” Faye asked.

“I believe it has been about a month in your time. I have become accustomed to the cycle of the human world, of activity during the day and rest at night.”

“Not everyone rests at night, but most folks do.”

“Those of my world are requested not to remain outside beyond sunset. We do not wish to cause humans distress.”

The history between their worlds had to be the reason why. After the Outsiders had revealed themselves, open attacks on the city occurred at least once a week, alongside their clandestine plots, and night was a common time for them. Whether it was midnight, the weekend, or during the middle of school, Faye and her fellow heroines had to find a way to respond as soon as possible.

But that was something she shouldn’t have let get into her head. “What do you do during the day then, Monara? If you don’t mind me asking, where do you get money from?”

Reaching into her pocket, Monara held out a collection of coins and bills. “We are given some of your currency to explore and experience your society. We are given more if we assist the studies of your researchers and scholars.”

“Is that something you’ve done?”

“Yes. I’ve spoken with the staff at the Embassy about my people, and have shared some of my silk with them.”

“Your silk?” Faye glanced to Monara’s white dress.

“Yes. My people use it for many purposes, including clothing and art. I believe there is interest among your people’s fashion designers for our silk.”

Faye nodded slowly. Of all of the things she’d wondered about the butterfly-woman before her, where her silk came out of probably _wouldn’t_ be one of those things. “And what do you think about our world? Of everything you’ve seen so far?”

“It is fascinating. I must admit, I would have never imagined so much from a people without magic.” Monara’s antennae drooped a touch. “I apologize. I do not mean to denigrate your people.”

“Oh, i-it’s okay…” Faye would have looked away, if her gaze wasn’t fixed upon Monara’s wings. “Garden City’s not quite like most other human cities. It’s much more modern and stylized.”

“I see. I wonder what the other settlements of your world are like. Even if we were able to, the people of our world could not leave this city.”

Faye had an inkling of an idea, but didn’t dare admit it. “Why?”

“The presence of the portal between our worlds. Ether, the energy of our world, leaks through the veil. It is necessary to sustain us.”

Ether…Faye had heard that word from Outsiders before. The essence of magic, of the Outsiders’ world, of the Outsiders themselves. She hadn’t known Outsiders couldn’t survive away from Garden City, away from ether. All she’d known was that the pilot project for the metropolises of the future, cities built from the ground up to support the latest technologies and integrate upcoming advancements without the constraints of aging infrastructure, happened to have been constructed right where a latent portal between worlds was located…and so many families like Faye’s moving to Garden City had drawn notice from what was on the other side.

“I am curious about you, Faye,” Monara continued, before taking a sip of her drink. “Please tell me about yourself.”

Herself was the topic Faye most feared discussing. She racked her mind for what she _could_ admit to. Everything she thought of was so bland, so banal. “I work data entry for a research firm here in Garden City. It’s mostly just updating numbers and figures for clients. Nothing Outsider-related, though.”

“I imagine you must work with interesting things.”

Maybe Monara didn’t understand the concept of data entry. Or, recalling Monara’s wonder about her phone, things that seemed so simple to Faye were wonders to Monara. “Perhaps. Is there anything about the human world you want to know about?”

“There are many things I am curious about. I have always wondered about the moving portraits I see often in the buildings of your world. A small few of those from my world have interest in those moving portraits. I believe they are called televisions.”

“Oh, TVs. They receive signals and output video and audio. Most stuff you’ll see on TV is pre-recorded; these days, you can choose what you want to watch and when. Some stuff, like the news, is live—you see it as it’s being spoken.”

“What is… _the_ news?”

“It’s how we hear about important events, local things and elsewhere in the world.” The perfect example came to Faye’s mind. “Yesterday, the news was about the Outsider Treaty.”

“Yes,” Monara said. Her antennae bowed slightly. “That day we first met, I departed to attend a commemoration of that day. Even in my world, we observe your world’s cycle so we may honour the anniversary of that day, the forgiveness and mercy of your people, and the Glints who fought selflessly for peace between our worlds.”

 _Glints_ … As humankind knew Faye and her friends’ other selves as the heroines, the Outsiders called them “Glints”. Faye preferred that title—it had more of a mystical quality to it, she felt. But, even though Faye tried to avoid conversations about “herself”, she imagined most people would find it odd for her to use that particular word.

After a few moments of silence, Monara’s antennae shifted upward again.   
“Is there anything you wish to ask of me, Faye?”

Monara’s voice broke Faye away from her thoughts. Had she been silent for a few seconds? She searched for something else to ask, her eyes drawn back to the vibrant shade of Monara’s wings once more. “I’m curious about your wings.”

The chrysidean moved her wings slightly, as much as she could with the low wall behind her. “Through our wings, my people draw in and release ether. If I understand correctly, it is not dissimilar to how your people breathe.”

Maybe that was why Faye’s gaze rested on them so often. For all she knew, chrysidean wings had a mesmerizing quality to them…and Faye knew she and her friends weren’t immune to such things as their normal selves. Holly had fallen under the hypnotic sway of a plant-like Outsider once…though upon the heroines confronting them, the Outsider had simply released Holly from its influence and departed. All Holly recalled from the ordeal, Faye thought with a tinge of unease, was being questioned about the human world by the Outsider. Holly hadn’t even remembered being grounded for sneaking out at night…the day before.

Monara finished her hot chocolate with one last sip. “I will have to depart soon. But I am happy to have met you again, Faye. I have enjoyed our conversations.”

“I have too, Monara,” Faye replied, judging by weight that she still had half of her own drink. “It’s been really interesting to hear about your perspective.”

“You have been very enlightening as well.” Though Monara smiled, her antennae lowered a touch. “It is rare for me to enjoy a talk like this. Many humans are nervous in my presence, though I do understand such, given the history of my people in your world.”

Somehow, Faye’s first thought was because of Monara’s striking appearance. And perhaps that was part of it. “A lot of people are just shy, and don’t know what to say or what to talk about with Outsiders.”

“I am not certain of that. I wonder if the wounds of the past will ever heal.”

“You’re here. And so are other Outsiders. I’m sure our leaders and your leaders are dedicated to making things work.”

Monara put both pairs of hands together. “I believe so. I have utmost faith in those who lead my people now.”

That last part… She shouldn’t, Faye knew. But the necessity for Outsiders to remain near the portal was one thing she’d learned today. The chance to sate another long-standing question was too much to pass up. “Now? Who led your people prior?”

“Each of the peoples of my world have their own leaders. But not long ago, there was one who united us together.” Monara’s antennae stiffened, like the tail of an alarmed cat.

Faye leaned forward just a little. “The Empress?”

“Is that what your people called her?” asked Monara, in a low voice.

Faye recoiled in her seat, but managed to keep a straight face—barely. It was what Faye’s people had called the mastermind of the Outsider invasion…her and her fellow heroines, that was. Even the Outsider ruler had considered the title appropriate when the five had confronted her.

An excuse soon found its way to Faye’s tongue. “I…I remembered hearing about it on the news, back then, when the Conflict was finally over…”

“I see.” Monara’s voice remained low, her antennae remained standing. “We are not to speak of her in your world. We were not even given a title for her in your language.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Your authorities and ambassadors assist us with titles for our peoples, names for you to refer to each of us by. But they do not wish for the one you call ‘the Empress’ to be known and remembered.”

Faye nodded, trying to ignore the fluttering in her stomach. “I understand. I’m sorry for bringing it up.”

“It is not your fault, Faye,” Monara said. “The history between our worlds is difficult. But I am thankful for your company and your willingness to answer my curiosities.” Monara pushed her chair back. “I must be on my way now. It was a pleasure to talk with you again, Faye. I hope we will meet again.”

Faye would have stood too, but her drink wasn’t finished yet. “It was great seeing you too, Monara. And I hope we get to talk more another time.”

With a smile, the chrysidean rose, folding her wings inward as she squeezed out from the table. Once she was outside, Monara spread her wings open and walked away from the Fireside.

Faye still had plenty of questions, plenty of hot chocolate…and plenty of butterflies in her stomach. Had Monara really believed her excuse? Had her reaction seemed suspicious to the chrysidean? Nothing about Monara’s expression had hinted at any sort of disbelief, but Faye had no idea how to read chrysidean body language. Perhaps her own was just as incoherent to an Outsider.

Still, despite that near-slip, a smile remained on Faye’s face as she took a swig of her now-lukewarm drink. All kinds of wonders danced through her mind—chrysidean culture, what kind of powers they had, Monara’s home in Garden City or even her own world. How often would she need to meet with Monara until all of her curiosities were sated?

Faye glanced to her phone. Forty minutes until work,until she was back in her usual nine-to-five routine. Taking another sip from her hot chocolate, Faye contemplated what she’d learned—a more enticing train of thought than the routine that awaited her.


	5. Concern

Though Fridays were wont to crawl by, the rest of Faye’s day seemed even slower than usual. All the questions she still had for Monara overlapped in her mind with data and formulas. When would she get a chance to sate those curiosities? What if Monara went back to her own world someday, and they never met again?

Faye closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to clear her thoughts. Her gaze then returned to her computer screen. Her last edit had been…a full minute ago. Giving her head a quick shake, Faye tried to focus. Figures, names, tables; she forced each string to input to the forefront of her mind.

Out of the corner of her vision, she glanced to the computer’s clock. Not even close to lunchtime…

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

After the workday finally came to an end, Faye returned to her apartment. A bowl of reheated tuna casserole rested on the table while she exchanged texts with Elia, waiting for the news to start. She was halfway through a reply about her latest watch, a space opera with a hero who picked up new talents a little too easily, when she heard the magic word from the television. Lifting her head, Faye spotted the headline _Outsider Theater Performance Planned_ just before the Celsius News icon took over the screen.

Anchorwoman Alonna Shaw started with some parents’ objections to new dress code standards in Garden City’s elementary schools. Faye’s phone rested on the cushion beside her as she waited for the story she really cared about.

Soon, the headline about the theater performance returned to the bottom of the screen. “ _Garden City’s premier theater company has announced plans to host a show organized and performed entirely by Outsider actors,_ ” Alonna Shaw explained. “ _We spoke to Elias Lamont from the Garden Players about their work with Outsiders._ ”

The screen now showed a middle-aged man with a thick greying beard around his wide smile, dressed in an immaculate brown tweed suit. “ _Drama and art have been integral parts of human history,_ ” Elias Lamont said, “a _nd a window into the cultures and societies of the past. This is a remarkable opportunity for Outsiders and humans to share their culture, to glimpse into each other’s legends, mythologies, and histories._ ”

As Faye tried to imagine such a performance, aware that she had nothing to base her pondering on, the display swapped back to the studio. “ _The Garden Players anticipate their first Outsider performance to take place in late summer or early autumn, and will announce details of the performance at a later date._ ”

That sounded like something Faye could get into. Plenty of other people would attend; her curiosity wouldn’t be out of the ordinary. She could bring along Elia, or maybe even Monara. Perhaps Monara already knew about it, perhaps she knew some of the Outsiders in the performance. What kind of art did Outsiders create? What kind of art did butterfly-people create?

When her attention returned to the news, the topic had changed to world events. News that probably held more importance to the average person than the handful of magical beings from another dimension in one city.

It felt like a lifetime ago that the Outsiders had been a concern to the entire world.

Faye woke up at ten o’clock on Saturday—her early mornings must have caught up with her. She played Solitaire on her laptop for an hour or so in the living room, accompanied by some acoustic rock, deciding on cheese and crackers for lunch shortly before twelve.

The intro for the news at noon mentioned the Outsider performance and other topics from the night before. Nothing new had happened in the world, it seemed. As Faye munched on havarti and crackers, her phone started to ring. A twinge passed through her stomach as she noticed the name on the screen and answered the call. “Hey, Caitlyn!”

“ _Hey, Faye!_ ” came her friend’s soft voice. “I was wondering if you…wanted to come over, hang out?”

Faye had expected such a request. “Sure! Any plans?”

“ _I was thinking…just watch some shows and movies, maybe…_ ”

That was Cait’s usual response. “Sounds good to me. Want me to pick up anything?”

No noise came through for a few seconds. “ _No…no, no thanks…_ ”

Faye closed her eyes, keeping herself from sighing. “Alright, I’ll head over soon.”

“ _Thanks. Thank you, Faye._ ”

“See you!”

“Bye.”

Faye slipped her phone into her pocket and turned off the television. She fetched her tote bag, packing her phone’s charging cable and a few personal-hygiene items. A quick circuit of her apartment confirmed that everything was turned off. Should she bring pyjamas? No…how would Caitlyn feel if Faye thought she might need them?

She paused at the door, her hand resting on the knob. After all of this time, it was the excitement and wonder Faye still saw most in the past, rather than the danger and fear of their struggle against their mysterious foes. Sure, they’d admitted to themselves that the cheer and humour was their way of bearing such a burden, but even now the memory of the pressure upon them seemed so insignificant to the magic of it all.

But had that burden been so easy for Cait to ignore?

Faye put on her sweater, then left her apartment.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

Caitlyn still lived in the sururbs of Garden City, in a little secluded nook among countless light-coloured bungalows and brick townhouses. As the bus drove away from the stop, Faye held still for a minute, taking in the familiar calm. Only the occasional car rolled by, with a rare fellow pedestrian passing by Faye. Somehow, the weekend suburb streets seemed more chaotic than the heart of the city—the noise and bustle of downtown were more consistent.

She headed down Willow Lane, to the small brown house at the end of the road. Caitlyn’s lawn wasn’t quite as well-kept as her neighbours’, and the only decoration visible was a cute _Beware of Guard Puppy_ sign by the front door, but nothing about her home shouted “unordinary”. Tidy, cute—but relatively normal.

A split-second after Faye pressed the doorbell, the guard puppy raced towards the door inside, audible not by his steps but his approaching yelping. Faye glanced in through the window, just in time to see Caitlyn approaching. When the door opened, Faye said, “Hey, Cait!”

Caitlyn looked up to Faye, her face glowing. She hadn’t grown an inch since high school, while Faye was now a full head taller than her. Her unkempt tawny hair didn’t quite match her tucked-in white blouse, grey vest, and black skirt. That wasn’t an outfit for a simple weekend get-together. The little brown mutt sat by Cait’s ankles, his tail bouncing with each bark.

“Quiet, Puplyn,” Cait said to the dog, to no avail. “Come on in, Faye.”

Faye headed into Caitlyn’s house, letting her eyes adjust from the bright sunlight outside to the curtained dimness within. Petting Puplyn did little to quiet him, his woofing incessant even as he flopped onto his back.

“So, how have you been?” Caitlyn asked as she leaned against the wall. “Any exciting research?”

“I wouldn’t know,” Faye said, shrugging as she obliged Puplyn’s longing for belly-rubs. “All I get is the boring details.”

“Maybe you’ll get promoted one day. Then you’ll get to write down the boring details yourself.”

Grinning, Faye took her shoes off and left them on the mat by the door. Cait led the way to the living room, a simple space almost as sparse as Faye’s own den. A brown cover was draped over the leather couch before the television. Puplyn had his own little bed within a large cage in the corner, as well as a soft mat by the couch. As Cait headed towards the couch, Faye glanced towards the kitchen. Dishes and pots were piled up in the sink, used utensils arranged on the counter. The sight wasn’t too concerning, though; Cait just saved the dishes for when she needed to take her mind off of things.

“So, what do you feel like watching?” Caitlyn asked as Faye walked into the living room. “Your pick.”

Shrugging as she sat down next to Cait, Faye said, “I dunno. Anything catch your attention lately?”

“Actually, I was wondering…maybe _Feyprancer_? Have you watched that recently?”

Faye raised her eyebrow at first. “Uh, no, but sure!”

“I noticed that it was added recently,” Cait said, shuffling through the movies on the screen. “I figured you’d enjoy it.” A few seconds of silence passed. “And maybe after we watch _Feyprancer_ …we could…”

Her presses slowed down, stopping just short of the familiar cover of a princess standing alongside a unicorn. “Hm?” Faye asked, already knowing what Cait would say.

“…maybe…if you’d like…we could get a few things down at the store…”

“Of course, Cait.”

Cait’s head remained facing forward. Her eyes had lowered; her lip quivered. Faye beckoned to Puplyn, mouthing the words, “Here, boy!”

The brown dog ran around the coffee table, hopping up onto the couch between the two. “Oh, Puplyn!” Caitlyn said, a smile replacing her frozen expression. She stroked the dog with one hand while she selected the movie with the other. “Heheh, so energetic. But you’ll have to stay home, boy.”

As they waited for the movie to start, Faye kept watch on her friend. Caitlyn held her dog in her lap, rubbing him under the chin as he nestled against her. The sight of Cait smiling so wide brought a smile to Faye’s face as well.

While the familiar tale of Princess Halla and the white unicorn Wisse played before them, the two talked about work. Cait spoke fondly of the animals she cared for at the shelter, smiling as she described taking the dogs for walks and chuckling over the tale of hamsters who had escaped from their pen. Faye tried to think of something interesting to share about her job; the best story that came to mind was the time that the power went out and Ms. Drewe ordered everyone to remain seated, lest they trip over something.

In between glances to Cait, Faye watched the journey of Halla and Wisse to save the kingdom of Feymarkh from disaster. When had she’d first seen the movie? Before her own magical story, she knew that much. The five of them had watched it together at some point, at Faye’s suggestion; Holly had fallen asleep during the movie, but the others had enjoyed it. She hadn’t watched _Feyprancer_ since, but felt her stomach shrink at the ending, where Wisse the unicorn gave up his beautiful horn to save Feymarkh. Though Princess Halla assured Wisse that his noble spirit was more beautiful than any shimmering horn, it rang a bit hollow to Faye. At least Wisse still lived in a magical world…

Over the credits, Cait said, “They haven’t made a sequel or anything, have they?”

“I don’t think so,” Faye said. It wouldn’t have come out so soon after _Feyprancer_ that Faye would have missed it with everything else going on. “I don’t know anyone else who saw it, aside from you and the others.”

“Yeah…the five of us.” A wince crossed through Caitlyn’s face. Faye shouldn’t have mentioned the past. Glancing to the window, then her wristwatch, Cait said, “So, are you…ready to head to the store?” Cait’s smile steadily shrank. “Grab some snacks, and…”

“Sure,” Faye said, forcing a smile as she rose.

Puplyn hopped off of Cait’s lap. “Bedtime, Puplyn,” Cait said, leading him over to the cage. “Just for a little bit…okay boy? We’ll be back soon.” The dog hesitated, but soon scurried inside, starting into the dog food in the corner.

At the front closet, Caitlyn pulled out a collapsible cart while Faye put on her shoes. Faye caught Cait’s wide-eyed look for a moment, but that expression vanished just as quickly.

Not a word passed between the two on the way to the store. As pleasant and peaceful as the day was, Caitlyn was glancing around her constantly every time Faye looked to her. Her eyes darted behind her and across the street, even when there was no sidewalk on the other side. She didn’t react to Faye’s glances—Faye hoped she didn’t notice.

The neighbourhood supermarket, Freshville, was about twenty minutes away from Caitlyn’s house. The name stood above the entrance, on a green sign that matched the roof of the store. Cait unfolded her cart before they entered, with Faye close behind her as they headed towards the bread section. Meats, soup, household items, treats for Puplyn—little of what Cait filled her cart with were snacks. Faye kept her silence, surveying their surroundings. Caitlyn hummed to herself, a bit off-key and unsteady, as she perused the shelves and freezers.

Once her cart was full, Caitlyn said, “Alright…I think that’s everything. You didn’t want to grab anything, did you?” Faye shook her head, and Cait nodded in response, starting down the aisle towards the checkout.

Faye remained close behind Caitlyn, close enough that her ankle smacked into the bottom of the cart when Cait stopped at the end of the aisle. The impact knocked the handle loose from Cait’s fingertips, and Faye caught the top of the cart before it fell over.

In a voice almost softer than the music playing through the store, Cait uttered, “I-I-I think…I think I forgot something…”

Caitlyn reached for the cart, clutching at thin air until Faye tilted it into her grip. “Okay, let’s go back, then,” Faye said, her stomach tightening. She stepped to Cait’s side, looking first to the wide-eyed stare frozen on Caitlyn’s face, then towards where her friend’s gaze had frozen.

She didn’t even need to try to trace Caitlyn’s eyesight. They stood out like a sore thumb—an analogy that seemed fitting, given their most alien trait. A bluish dome covered the top half of their head, translucent at the very edges but opaque towards the center. Loose tendrils draped down onto their shoulders from beneath their bell, the pale skin of the back of their neck visible through the jelly-like “hair”. Skin-tight seaweed covered their muscular figure, a body that athletic humans would envy.

Even with all of the times she’d seen such Outsiders in the past—usually against a backdrop of water about to crash down upon Faye and her friends—she would have stared at the jellyfish-headed Outsider on any other day. Today, she quickly turned back to Caitlyn. Her friend had looked away to a shelf of salad dressings, a trembling finger pointed to a bottle of bacon ranch. Cait disliked ranch and she hated bacon.

Faye stepped to her side, in-between her and the jellyfish-Outsider. The checkout line they were in had advanced, and now only the top of the Outsider’s head was visible behind a soft-drink refrigerator. If the two had taken a minute longer, Cait wouldn’t have seen the Outsider…or maybe she would have noticed them while they were in line. Glancing over her shoulder, Faye watched a few other shoppers pass. None of them paid attention to Caitlyn, thankfully. “Actually,” Faye said, “now that I think about it, let’s grab some of that party mix back there.”

Caitlyn said nothing as she turned away from the shelf. She wiped her face, her eyes still wide as she walked down the aisle. Faye hurried to her side, just in time to hear Cait whisper, “I’m sorry…”

“It’s okay,” Faye said under her breath. “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not…”

Faye looked around, not spotting anyone staring. Once they reached the party mix, Faye grabbed a bag without checking the price, setting it atop Cait’s groceries. After taking a few steps back towards the front of the store, Faye realized she couldn’t hear the wheels of Cait’s cart behind her. Only when she looked back did Caitlyn start to follow. The jellyfish-Outsider wasn’t visible by the time they returned to the checkout lanes. As Faye started to place items on the belt, she asked Cait, “Do you need me to handle this?”

“I…” Their eyes met, long enough for Faye to see the tears starting. Her friend nodded, and Faye stepped forward to greet the cashier. Though the butterflies in Faye’s stomach continued to flutter, Caitlyn hid her distress as she paid for her purchases. Once everything was back in the cart, the two headed out of Freshville. The jellyfish-person wasn’t outside, thankfully.

All Faye wanted now was to get Cait home, before anyone else realized just how panicked she was now—or, for Cait’s sake, what had provoked that reaction.


	6. Motions

Faye could hear Cait’s breathing all the way back to her house. Her fingernails dug into the foam around the handle. Her eyes remained fixed forward, not reacting to people they passed by or Faye’s frequent glances. Not a word left her lips, and Faye kept silent as well.

Faye held the door open for Caitlyn to pull the cart up the front step and into the kitchen. Puplyn begged for liberation and attention; Caitlyn didn’t even turn her head towards him, and Faye only gave a passing glance as she hurried after Cait.

Caitlyn left the cart in the center of the kitchen. With a shudder, she slumped against the wall, facing the corner. Faye hurried to her side, kneeling in time to catch Cait’s whisper of “I’m sorry, Faye…”

None of the words that came to Faye’s mind would work. She knew that all too well. All she could do was scoot closer to Cait.

“I know…we’re not…” Tears slipped out from Cait’s closed eyelids. “They’re not…they’re not our enemies…Outsiders aren’t our enemies anymore…”

“That’s right.” Faye considered sliding her arm around Cait’s shoulders, but would that distress her even more? “It’s been over for years. You helped us do that. You don’t need to worry about yourself or anyone else.”

“You’re right…you’re right…” Moist trails formed down Cait’s face. “They didn’t do anything…to…d-deserve…”

They’d understand, Faye hoped. Or at least accept it as a human thing. Perhaps human emotions and minds were just as alien to Outsiders as Outsiders themselves were to humans.

“I just…I just…” Caitlyn turned her head away from Faye, sobbing softly.

Faye tried to figure out something, _anything_ to say. Something new she hadn’t tried all of the times before. Puplyn’s barking caught her attention, and Faye rose up and hurried into the living room. “Mommy needs you, okay?” she whispered to the dog before opening the cage.

Puplyn raced into the kitchen. By the time Faye walked in, Puplyn had climbed into Caitlyn’s lap. Cait gently stroked the dog, with moist eyes and a smile that looked painfully forced, like a parent putting on a brave face for their child. “Good boy…” she said softly. “Good boy…”

The butterflies still danced inside of Faye, but at least Cait had something to distract her now. As Caitlyn cuddled her pet, Faye unpacked the cart, putting things into the cupboard, fridge, and freezer as she knew Cait wanted them.

By the time she finished, Caitlyn was still on the floor, rubbing Puplyn’s belly as his tail whipped against the floor. “What are you in the mood for, Cait?” Faye asked.

Caitlyn looked up. She wasn’t crying anymore, but a resigned weariness had taken the place of tears, like an insomniac who had given up on sleep. “I…I’ll make us something in a bit, okay? Just…I just need a moment.”

Faye nodded, and she sat down next to Caitlyn. Puplyn glanced to her, expecting her affection, and Faye obliged by cradling his head in her hand. Caitlyn wasn’t trembling, wasn’t crying, but the smile on her lips still seemed half-hearted.

The minutes crawled by like hours, but eventually Caitlyn nudged Puplyn out of her lap. Standing up, she uttered, “Thanks for putting everything away. How about I make…” Cait glanced towards the stove. “…is a chicken sub fine?”

“Of course,” Faye said. Better than trying to cook in her current state. “I’ll help.”

Caitlyn took topping and condiments out of the fridge, while Faye took the buns out of the cupboard. Noticing Cait’s still-unsteady hands, Faye grabbed a knife and cut up the buns, pickles and cheese while Caitlyn prepared the lettuce and put the subs together.

They returned to the living room with their subs, Puplyn tagging along. Cait turned on the television, picking something at random to fill the air. “No begging,” she said half-heartedly to Puplyn, who gave up and curled up next to the couch.

Faye took a few bites of her sub, though Caitlyn hadn’t touched hers yet. “Faye,” Caitlyn said, her voice little more than a squeak, “you feel like…I don’t know…hanging out over the weekend? Sleeping over? We’ll watch stuff, and maybe Elia can come over too…”

“Sure,” Faye said. “Sounds fun to me.”

Her words didn’t bring a smile to Cait’s face, but at least it did encourage her enough to start eating her sub.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

Though Caitlyn had set up her bed for the two of them just like every other time Faye had spent the night, she tried at the last second to suggest the couch. She’d just keep Faye awake, she’d insisted in a meek voice—but Faye had assured her she’d be fine.

And just as Faye had expected, Caitlyn tossed and turned until she finally drifted off, and even then she muttered and whimpered in her sleep. Faye followed suit, sleeping until _something_ roused her from slumber. A feeling on the very edge of her human perception, an unnatural sensation her sleeping mind tried to parse. She didn’t need to turn over to know that Cait wasn’t in bed, that she had taken refuge before the bathroom mirror. And she didn’t need to get up to know that if she did check on Cait, she wouldn’t see a young woman in a fluffy pink nightdress. She’d see Caitlyn staring at Fennec’s reflection, as if begging herself to tell her where her courage and resolve had gone, too absorbed to notice the other woman in the mirror over her shoulder.

Faye slipped back into sleep, and when she awoke in the morning, Caitlyn was back next to her. Whether she’d gotten any sleep, Faye wasn’t sure. The two toasted frozen waffles for breakfast, then watched cartoons while waiting for Elia to arrive. Once Cait left to use the bathroom, Faye texted Elia about what had happened at the store.

Caitlyn returned before Elia could answer, sitting at the opposite end of the couch from Faye. Puplyn settled himself between the two. Without looking to Faye, Cait said, “I’m sorry if I woke you last night…”

“No, I slept fine,” Faye claimed. “How are you feeling?”

Cait’s stare remained fixed on the floor. “I had…nightmares.”

Faye slid closer, as close as Puplyn’s presence would allow. Her friend still didn’t look to her. “Faye, how did…how did you learn how to…”

“How to what?”

“To…to shift. You know…to use your magic.”

Faye tried to remember when they’d settled on the use of that word— _shift_. It’d seemed the most fitting; _transform_ seemed to imply becoming something different, when they were still themselves, but…different. “Holly taught me how to do it. How to visualize and evoke that inner spark.”

“How did she learn?”

Shrugging, Faye said, “I don’t know.” Had she asked Holly that herself? She doubted she would have forgotten the answer.

A sniffle left Caitlyn. “I should have been able to… I wouldn’t have hurt anyone, then…”

Faye scooted closer, reaching over Puplyn to wrap her arm around Caitlyn’s shoulders. “ _You_ didn’t hurt anyone, Cait.”

“I saw it, heard it… _felt_ it.” Her violet shudder startled Faye, and Puplyn hopped off the couch in response. “I should have been able to stop myself, to stop it from happening. You would have, Holly would have…”

Faye shook her head, even though Cait wasn’t looking at her. She slid closer, putting her other hand on Cait’s shoulder. “I wouldn’t have. Holly wouldn’t have. None of us would have.” The words were so easy to say, but none of them had been in Cait’s shoes. She knew that it hadn’t been Caitlyn in control, but how vivid were the memories if it felt otherwise to her?

A sob broke loose from Caitlyn. “I’m…I’m sorry, Faye. I just…I should have been…”

Faye wrapped her arms around Cait, who leaned into her hug. The television’s volume seemed to fade away, leaving Caitlyn’s crying the only noise Faye noticed. Through all of her memories of back then, Caitlyn had always shown such a brave and bright face. That day they’d first met, when the other four had explained everything to her, Cait had insisted on joining them, even when Lyris had expressed concern for her. Even in their group selfie, on that decisive day, she’d had the most cheerful grin of them all. How much had Caitlyn bottled up inside ever since the beginning, hidden from the others?

The trembling softened as the minutes passed, Cait’s sobs becoming steady and calm breaths. Faye kept her eyes shut, holding onto Cait. As much as Cait blamed herself, Faye thought, if only she, Holly, and Elia had been strong enough to save her sooner…

Three knocks sounded on the front door, with Puplyn erupting into barking a split-second after the first. Caitlyn pulled away, watching her dog dash out of the living room. “That must be Elia,” she said, wiping her eyes as she rose. “I’ll…I’ll go let her in.”

Faye followed her to the door. Just as Caitlyn expected, Elia awaited behind the door. “Hey Cait, hey Faye!” Elia said, stepping inside. Though her smile grew as Puplyn pranced around her ankles, Faye knew Elia’s eye had caught the still-moist trails down Cait’s cheeks.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

The three watched cheesy rom-coms for most of the day. Elia’s turn came to share work stories, though she avoided any that involved Outsiders at the Rec Center. Faye described a few books she’d read recently, and Cait talked about washing, grooming, and playing with the animals at the shelter. Not a hint of her earlier mood cracked through her cheer at the mention of taking a bunch of dogs for walks, though perhaps it was just a different kind of mask she wore now.

After a two-course dinner of salmon salad and party mix, it was time for Faye and Elia to head home. Puplyn sat by Cait as the two of them put on their shoes, his tail beating a rhythm upon the floor.

Leaning against the wall, Cait said, “Thank you for coming, both of you. I’m…I’m really glad you were here yesterday, Faye.”

“It’s no problem, Cait,” Faye said.

As Faye tied her shoelaces, Caitlyn asked, “So, how’s everything with you, Faye?”

Faye pondered her past few days. One thing stood out in her mind, like a pair of vibrant butterfly-wings in a dull and mundane restaurant. But that was the one thing she couldn’t talk about with Caitlyn. “I’m fine. Just…same old, same old.”

“Not seeing anyone yet?”

Well, she was…sort of, but obviously not in the way Caitlyn meant. “No, no one new. Haven’t really been thinking about dating, to be honest.”

“What about that guy at the shelter you mentioned, Cait?” Elia asked with a coy smile. “Scott, right?”

“Oh, Scott…” The slight tint that filled Cait’s cheeks must have confirmed Elia’s suspicions. “Yeah, he’s really sweet to the animals, he’s fun to be around. I’m…” Her wistful smile waned a touch. “…kind of worried he’ll ask me out…”

Faye put a hand on Cait’s shoulder. “Cait, if he’s a nice guy and he likes you, he’ll understand if you aren’t ready for it.”

“And if you ever want to talk about it,” Elia added, “we’re here for you.”

“Thanks, you two,” Cait said, nodding. “I’ll…I’ll see how things go. Bye, Faye and Elia. Thank you, both of you, for coming over.”

Before Faye could say anything, Caitlyn flung her arms around Faye, holding her tight. Faye didn’t hesitate to return the gesture, and Elia found her way into Cait’s hug. Puplyn barked up at the three of them, as if wanting to join in—or wondering why he wasn’t the one receiving the attention.

Once they all let go of each other, Faye and Elia bid farewell to Cait. At Puplyn’s insistence, they both gave him a few last pets before leaving. After Faye closed the door, she heard the lock click behind her.

It had been much warmer yesterday, and the cold breeze made Faye shiver until she got into Elia’s car outside. Buckling her belt, Faye heard Elia ask in a low voice, “How bad was it?”

No clarification was needed on _it_. “It wasn’t in the middle of a crowd, or loud, but…you could see it on her face. She tried her best to hide it, but the entire way home…you could tell how tense she was.”

“Do you think she’ll be fine tonight?” Elia started the car.

Faye stared at Caitlyn’s humble abode. “You coming over definitely helped take her mind off of things. I think she’ll be alright…I hope.”

Sighing, Elia said, “So do I.” Elia drove away from Cait’s house. “I just wish she’d…you know…”

Nodding, Faye could only reply, “Yeah.” There seemed no more point in mentioning it between the two of them than there was in saying it to Caitlyn herself. She steadfastly refused any suggestion on the matter. Both of them knew exactly why she wouldn’t, and to her, that mattered far more than herself.

A few minutes of driving passed before Elia spoke up again. “What…what kind of Outsider did she see?”

“It was one of those ones with, like, a jellyfish on their head.”

“Oh, a cnidarian,” Elia said, a lighter hint in her voice. “I see them often at the pool. They’re clearly an aquatic race, very good swimmers.”

Faye would have figured that they were an aquatic race, but it was good for someone with an interest in marine biology to confirm that suspicion. Maybe there was more to these jellyfish-people that she didn’t know yet, but they didn’t seem as intriguing to her as Monara was. Elia might have thought differently, of course.

The towering buildings of downtown loomed ahead in the evening sky. “Have you been thinking about what I said?” asked Elia. “About getting to know some Outsiders?”

It didn’t make sense to not tell Elia about having met with an Outsider. Still, Faye replied, “I’m still thinking about it.”

“You really should, Faye. I’ve learned a lot of fascinating things about the Outsiders I’ve spoken with. I’m sure you’d enjoy it, and you’d probably get along well with some Outsiders.”

Elia was right about all of that, wasn’t she? Maybe Monara would get tired of Faye’s pestering, though. “Yeah, I’ll figure something out.”

“If you’d like, I could introduce you to a few I know at the Rec Center.”

How would Elia even introduce her in such a situation? _Hey, this is Faye. She’s obsessed with you folks but too shy to actually say anything to any of you._ “I’ll…think about it.”

“Okay, Faye.”

The rest of their drive into the heart of Garden City passed in silence. Once Elia pulled into a parking spot at Faye’s apartment building, she asked, “And what about taking a day off of work? Surely you’ve got some vacation time saved up.”

Faye did indeed have plenty of vacation days. “Maybe someday this week, just take a day off to pamper myself instead of staring at a monitor from nine to five.”

“Exactly!” Elia smiled, even for such a half-hearted statement. “Take care of yourself, Faye.”

“You too, Elia.”

Faye got out of Elia’s car. She stopped at the front of the building, not just to watch Elia’s car go by but to watch…everyone go by. Dozens, hundreds of people going on with their lives. Their normal lives. Whatever special plans they had on the weekend, tomorrow would be back to the routine motions—those of them who weren’t already going through those motions today. All kinds of careers, all kinds of people, all kinds of lives. Somehow, people found a way to make it work. Even in the one city on Earth where magic was a reality—one that rarely affected human lives nowadays, but still.

But they hadn’t had magic become such a direct part of their lives. They hadn’t had magic _become_ their life, if only for a single year.

Her friends, her fellow heroines… they’d made it work. But even if the past was the past, Faye didn’t want to think about life without at least some small trace of the wonder she used to know.


	7. Talents

It was too dim on Monday morning when Faye’s alarm went off. She rubbed her eyes in dozy confusion until it occurred to her: her alarm was still set an hour early.

She pulled herself out of bed, sitting on the edge as she debated. The questions had already started gathering in her mind, but…was she imposing on Monara’s peaceful morning coffees? Was she a bother?

Monara had answered almost all of Faye’s questions, though. And she’d had a few of her own about the human world. In a way, her curiosity wasn’t so different from Faye’s own.

Faye stood, giving a quick shrug and smiling as she made up her mind and started getting ready for the day.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

The early morning sun shone bright upon Garden City as Faye left her apartment building, her mind racing with curiosities.

Only a nearby police car’s sirens suddenly blaring snapped her out of her thoughts. Faye paused as it weaved through traffic and turned around the intersection before her. After the Outsider Conflict had ended, Faye had suggested to her friends the idea of them using their powers to help everyday people, with stopping human criminals being one idea she’d floated. Holly had quickly pointed out all the problems with that: it’d require giving the police some means of contacting and thus tracing them, it was too big a risk to their secrecy, and with how police firearms had been all but useless against the Outsiders, who knew what effect their magic would have on ordinary human criminals?

She continued on to the Fireside. Faye looked to the window by her usual table—and when she spotted the familiar blue-violet, her pace hastened towards the door.

By the time she reached the table, Monara had already risen to her feet. “Monara!” Faye said, her smile widening.

Monara’s blank face and buggy eyes showed no reaction to Faye’s voice. “Hello, Faye.”

The chrysidean put her empty cup into one of the wastebins. “Are…are you already finished?” Faye asked.

“I am, yes,” Monara replied. “I apologize, but I must depart now. Perhaps we can talk another time.”

Faye’s stomach sank as she stepped out of the way. Monara walked out of the Fireside, spreading her wings wide once she was clear of the doors.

As if beckoned by the sight, Faye hurried outside. “Hey, Monara?”

The chrysidean stopped and turned back. “Yes, Faye.”

“Monara, about talking another time…” People continued on by, down the sidewalk and into the Fireside. Maybe Monara might not have realized how awkward Faye felt, but what would all those people think? “Maybe, if you’re free sometime, we could arrange something?”

The chrysidean’s wings fluttered slightly. Her antennae, though…they straightened upward over a few seconds. “Faye, I was invited to a dramatic performance presented by a thespian group of your people. They have invited other Outsiders as well. Would you like to be my guest? I am sure they will permit me to invite a human guest.”

A performance? A play of some sort, or maybe an opera? How many other Outsiders would be there, and what kinds? Nodding, Faye said, “Sure, that sounds great!”

“Thank you, Faye. Would you like to meet here before the performance for a drink?”

“That sounds good. I’ll buy us breakfast.”

“As I said, I do have my own currency.”

“I know. But you’re inviting me to this performance. The least I can do to thank you is breakfast.”

Monara smiled. It didn’t seem as odd now; had she grown better at smiling, or was Faye used to her not-quite-human expressions? “Thank you, Faye. I will see you on Wednesday. Is eight o’clock in the morning a good time for you?”

“Sure, that’s perfect.”

“Until then, Faye.”

“Bye, Monara!”

The chrysidean turned away, with Faye watching her wings as she departed. Her heart bounced in her chest, but so did the butterflies start to swirl. She could meet other Outsiders, Monara would probably be able to introduce them to her…but what if she said something she shouldn’t? What if they wondered about _her_?

A woman walking by gave Faye a strange stare before entering the Fireside. Realizing how odd she must have looked just standing there, Faye gathered herself and looked back to the doors. She considered a hot chocolate, but perhaps it was better to save her two dollars and…head to work?

The thought of her job sapped her enthusiasm, and more anxieties crept in to take its place. Monara had been willing to invite her, but had she come across as needy or even obsessed? Would she be an inconvenience, or unwelcome?

Still, despite her worries, Faye had made a commitment. And she did want to get to know more about Monara and her world. Maybe nothing bad would happen. She’d just have to be careful.

With a shrug, Faye decided to treat herself to a hot chocolate anyway.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

Throughout the hour before lunch, Faye psyched herself up to talk to her boss. Her attendance was near-perfect, and Mrs. Drewe wasn’t too strict about unexpected days off. But what if she inquired further, or found any holes in Faye’s story?

When lunchtime came, Faye headed to Mrs. Drewe’s office while her coworkers headed for the cafeteria. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and walked inside. Mrs. Drewe glanced up from her computer. “Miss Brice, is there something you need?”

Her moment to gather herself hadn’t stilled the butterflies. “Yes,” Faye said. “I’ve had some…family stuff come up, and I was hoping I’d be able to take Wednesday off.”

“Oh,” Mrs. Drewe said with a small nod. “That’s okay, Faye. I hope everything is fine.”

“It is.” Faye forced a smile. “Thank you.”

Mrs. Drewe gave another nod, and Faye left her office. Was it that easy? Why didn’t she take more days off?

Was it really that she had nothing in her life worth taking time off for anyway?

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

The rest of Monday and Tuesday crawled along. During lunch-break chats, Faye gazed among her co-workers, wondering what exciting stuff they had in their lives. Perhaps their work was more varied than Faye’s. Perhaps they looked forward to what awaited them after work. Maybe the problem was just herself.

Once Tuesday evening’s news confirmed that, as usual, nothing of interest to Faye was happening, Faye made herself tacos for dinner. As she contemplated doing the dishes, her phone started to ring. Elia was calling. With the butterflies starting up, Faye answered, “Hey Elia!”

“ _Hey, Faye!_ ” Elia said. “ _The trailer for that movie Lyris is in is out!_ ”

“Huh! What’s it called? I’ll check it out.”

“ _It’s called_ Phantom Second _. Some kind of paranormal thriller, I think. She shows up briefly in the trailer, towards the end. Looks interesting._ ”

“Well, we’ll have to see it when it comes out.”

“ _Of course. I was thinking…maybe we could invite Holly along. I still have her number._ ”

Faye sighed. “Holly’s probably gotten a new number by now. Not like she’d tell us.”

“ _I doubt she’s forgotten all about us. Plus I could email her._ ”

Faye couldn’t pretend to be that optimistic. “Do you think Caitlyn would be willing to come along?”

“ _I’ve never seen an Outsider in a movie theater. I’m sure she’d be fine, and she’d want to see Lyris’s new movie._ ”

Perhaps…or maybe it’d just make her feel more guilty. “Well, I’ll take a look at the trailer.”

“ _So, by the way, have you thought about taking some time off from work, maybe meeting some Outsiders?_ ”

That was what Faye had thought Elia’s call would be about. “In fact, yeah, I was going to take a day off tomorrow.”

“ _That’s great! Some time away from work will really help, I’m sure of it._ ”

“Me too. I guess I’ll watch that trailer now.”

“ _Okay. See you, Faye!_ ”

“Bye, Elia.”

Faye ended the call, then searched for _phantom second trailer_ on her phone. She tapped the first link and waited for the trailer to load. The movie was about some guy for whom time would occasionally stop for one second, moments where everyone but him stood still. Of the minute-long trailer, Lyris appeared only in the last five seconds of footage. Dressed in an unkempt suit, her black hair combed neatly to the sides, she leaned over a table in front of the main character and snapped, “ _Your prints are on the gun. Now_ when _did you shoot him?_ ” After that line, the movie title appeared, followed by the release date—a little over three months away.

She set down her phone. It didn’t seem bad at all, a far better use of Lyris’s talents than her last role. With a prominent part in a bigger production, would she end up talking about it on TV? Maybe Celsius News would want an interview with a home-grown celebrity. And if her schedule wasn’t too busy…

Though she considered a quick text to Lyris, she stopped herself while the screen highlighted Lyris’s name and number. How long had it been since they’d gotten word from Lyris, that she’d had more than a little time to text or chat? Maybe she didn’t have the time…

…maybe she just didn’t want to hang out with them, either.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

When Faye’s alarm went off on Wednesday morning, she sprang out of bed. She showered, groomed, and threw on her nicest long-sleeved white blouse and beige slacks. At 7:30, she put on her jacket and hurried out of her apartment, her mind as cluttered with questions as her stomach of butterflies.

Monara was sitting at their usual table when Faye arrived, sipping on her drink. “Hey, Monara!” Faye said, her voice a little high-pitched. Was she that nervous?

The chrysidean turned her head. Her dress today was adorned with a pair of flowers near her left shoulders—flowers that, Faye realized after a longer look, were the same white and texture of her dress. “Hello, Faye.”

Her voice drew Faye’s attention back to her face. With a sheepish smile, Faye asked, “Ready for breakfast?”

“I am.” Monara stood up. “Again, thank you for this, Faye.”

Faye led the way to the surprisingly-short line-up. Monara scanned the menu over the counter, and Faye looked over Monara. She’d never glanced down to Monara’s feet, and now noticed her stalk-like legs and the three long toes on each she perched upon. She must have had excellent balance to stand on feet like those, especially with how large her wings were.

When they reached the counter, Faye ordered herself a bacon-and-egg English muffin, a hot chocolate, and a Boston creme donut. Monara continued to stare at the menu, both pairs of hands together. “Do you have some kind of salad?” she asked the young man behind the counter.

“Perhaps our vegetarian breakfast wrap would be to your liking?” he said, with the usual fast-food smile. His stare remained fixed on Monara, but not as if he was uncomfortable or disturbed by her presence. If anything, there was a hint of bemusement to his grin.

“I shall try that, then. And one of the donuts my friend has asked for. Also, may I have a mixture of the coffee and hot chocolate?”

The clerk nodded, his smile unchanging. Faye paid for their breakfast, and once they had received their food, they returned to the table in the corner. While Faye didn’t hesitate with her bacon-and-egg, Monara peered into her wrap for a few seconds before taking a nible. “Do you like it?” Faye asked.

Monara didn’t seem to chew on her food at all. Faye didn’t see any movement in her cheeks or throat. “They have added curious flavours. It has similar ingredients to a salad, but it is not quite as nourishing. But I do like it.”

“Not as nourishing? Maybe it’s just not as fresh. Most restaurants like this don’t have the freshest ingredients.”

“I believe so, yes.”

Monara took another “bite” of her wrap. Faye hadn’t spotted if Monara even had teeth; she just seemed to close her lips around the wrap, and when she lowered it, there was a little less left of her meal. “I would have figured beings from another world wouldn’t be able to eat human food,” Faye said. “What kind of food do you eat in your world?”

After a sip of her drink, Monara said, “We do not partake of regular meals as your people do, though we do enjoy feasts of fruits and nectars during celebrations.”

“You don’t need to eat or drink?”

“Our kind does not need to, in our world. Our wings absorb the transient ether that flows through our world to sustain ourselves. Though there is a lesser presence of ether in your world, the foods of your people suffice to keep us strong.”

“And what about coffee?”

That prompted another drink. “It does not nourish me,” Monara said, “but it does fill my wings with a pleasant warmth.”

By the time Faye had finished her breakfast sandwich, her own hot chocolate had cooled to a pleasant warmth. After a sip, Faye’s eyes returned to the flowers upon Monara’s dress. “Those flowers are woven from your silk? They’re beautiful.”

Monara’s antennae perked a little. “Thank you, Faye. Yes. I weave my garments myself. Our magic aids us in shaping our silk. I could not imagine trying to form these flowers with only my hands. Unfortunately, the dyes and pigments of your people do not work with my silk.”

Faye didn’t know if the human-made artificial flowers she’d seen had been made by hand or machine. But how long did it take to make them, compared to the flowers on Monara’s dress? How did they feel, compared to the fake flowers Faye had touched before? Even if Monara considered her a friend, touching Monara’s clothing to find out was beyond question.

Monara took a “bite” out of her donut, dripping a dollop of custard onto the flowers of her dress. “Here,” Faye said, reaching forward with a napkin. She’d intended to wipe it off herself, but a brief pause allowed Monara to take the napkin and clean herself, leaving no stain upon the material. No wonder human designers were interested in chrysidean silk—a dress or even regular clothes you could keep clean with ease.

“Thank you, Faye,” Monara said as she set the napkin aside. Faye leaned back in her seat, eating her donut while Monara finished hers. “That was a nice meal, Faye. Thank you. Are you ready to depart now?”

“Sure, I’m ready.”

Faye put their garbage into the wastebin while Monara rose from her seat. Once they were outside, Monara spread her wings out. “I hope to arrive before the performance begins. I can introduce you to the other guests.”

A smile crept over Faye’s face, even if the thought of being surrounded by Outsiders once more stirred the fluttering in her stomach. They walked down the sidewalk together, with Faye moving in front of Monara and Monara closing her wings in whenever anyone passed by. A few stares in their direction lingered, Faye noticed. Were they merely as fascinated with Monara as Faye herself was, or did they find a human and an Outsider walking together odd?

After all, how often did Faye see humans and Outsiders together in public?


	8. Language

Faye had only ever been to the Parthenope Theater once, for a high-school field trip to an opera. She didn’t recall now the name of the opera or anything about it; she’d nearly fallen asleep from boredom, though certainly hadn’t admitted that with Lyris around. Faye had learned later that day that there had been an Outsider attack in the city during the opera; her friends had dealt with it, but she’d still felt bad about not being there to help.

Of course she’d remember that more than the opera itself, or the Greek-flavoured building with rows of ionic columns at the front and long stone steps up to the entrance. Like the rest of her past life, it seemed so much longer than five years ago that she’d last been here.

Faye would have been shivering the whole way without her jacket, yet with only her simple sleeveless dress, Monara seemed fine the entire way. Perhaps her silk insulated against the cold? Was it the fur, or did chrysideans not mind the cold? Faye considered asking, but didn’t want the hassle of trying to talk over the wind. Or was that just an excuse to herself to not ask?

At the top of the steps, Faye held the door open for Monara before following her into the empty lobby. Tones of burnt sienna and burgundy adorned the walls. Velvet ropes formed the queue at the counter and blocked off several doors.

Before Faye could look around further, a voice called out from the balcony above. “Welcome, welcome!” A bearded man came down the spiralling staircase before them, grinning with delight. He seemed familiar from somewhere, Faye thought.

Once he reached the bottom, he approached Monara, holding out his right hand. Monara accepted the offer of handshake with her lower-right hand, though her arm didn’t move as much as the man’s. “Miss Monara, I presume?”

“Yes, Mr. Lamont.” With her upper-right hand, she gestured to Faye. “This is a friend of mine, Faye. I hope it is no problem for me to invite her.”

“Not at all, Miss Monara!” Mr. Lamont extended his arm towards Faye next, the pieces clicking together as she shook his hand. “A human friend is certainly welcome. I am Elias Lamont, assistant manager and spokesman for the Garden Players.”

“I’m Faye Brice.” Mr. Lamont had a gentle grip, loose enough that Faye’s hand would have slipped free if she hadn’t exerted any hold. “I remember you from the news a few days ago, about your plans to host a performance by Outsiders.”

“Ah, yes!” Mr. Lamont’s face lit up even further at the mention. “It has been quite the pleasure to share in the stories and legends of Outsiders, and to help them to share one of their tales with humans.”

“I can imagine. I’ve learned a lot about Monara’s people from her.”

“An inquisitive mind? Wonderful!” Faye nodded, and he continued, “You know, I’ve heard so many fascinating tales and stories from cultures all around the planet. It truly is a remarkable opportunity for us to host storytellers from beyond our world!”

“I hope the best for your plans,” Monara said. “Mr. Lamont, have other guests arrived yet? I would like to introduce Faye to them.”

Stepping aside with a grandiose gesture towards the staircase—one that reminded Faye of Lyris’s flair—Mr. Lamont said, “Several of our guests of honour have already arrived. They are in a private room upstairs. You shall have balcony seats to watch the performance.”

“Thank you, Mr. Lamont.” Monara started up the staircase, bringing her wings together behind her and carefully angling her body to avoid brushing them against the rails. Faye gave her plenty of space before following, with Mr. Lamont behind her. The kindly man led them past two sets of large doors to an ajar door, opening it for the two of them.

When Faye followed Monara in, her eyes immediately fixated towards the Outsiders gathered within. Most were seated around a table in lush armchairs, with a few standing in small groups. A cnidarian caught her attention first, a female with a bluish jellyfish-like bulb over the top half of her head and transparent tendril-like hair hanging down her back. She wore a skin-tight seaweed suit, like other cnidarians Faye had seen in the past and present. She stood with her hands resting on the back of a chair occupied by one of two sylphids. The two sylphids looked like a male and a female, both clad in clothing as white as their skin and hair. A hooded figure sat next to them, hunched in their seat, glancing to Faye with silvery eyes surrounded by grey chitinous skin. Faye knew for certain that she had faced down one of their kind in the past—whether it donned similar fashion then, she couldn’t recall.

Monara approached the cnidarian, while Faye’s attention roamed among the other Outsiders. One had a humanoid body with no apparent features save for blank-white eyes, its skin smooth and multi-coloured like nacre. It looked like a golem of some sort, some giant creepy doll—exactly what she’d thought when she first encountered one of their kind. The next had a face like bark, with ridges and cracks and a long branch-like nose. Their hair resembled a mess of gnarled roots. Their clothes were a surprise: a black button-up sweater and jeans that managed to fit their bulky body. Some of the Outsiders they’d fought were plant-like beings that could manipulate vines and roots and had monstrous alien plants under their command; perhaps this one was an elder member of such an Outsider race.

Before Faye looked to the last few Outsiders in the room, she noticed a strange clicking and hissing noise. It came from the direction of Monara and the cnidarian. A violet glow filled the bell over the cnidarian’s head. A chirping and purring speech left her lips as they moved, receiving a response in those weird clicks and hisses. Was that…Monara’s natural voice? How chrysideans spoke?

The male sylphid rose from his seat, approaching Monara and the cnidarian. Faye felt a sudden gust of wind brush against her, Monara’s wings moving back slightly from the brief gale.

Monara’s clicking language followed the sylphid’s approach. The cnidarian spoke in her chirp-purr, the glow of her bell slowly shifting between violet shades. In-between their words, Monara’s dress ruffled from phantom breezes and the cnidarian’s hair-tendrils moved slightly, her bell taking on a bluish tint each time. Faye had overheard other people in Garden City speaking in other languages, some that she recognized but didn’t know herself and others she couldn’t place. Never before had Faye longed to know what was being discussed before her in a foreign language, let alone ones Faye knew she would never be capable of comprehending in her life, regardless of how all three seemed to understand each other perfectly.

Amidst her thoughts, Faye noticed the cnidarian glance to her. “Welcome, human,” she said, in a feminine voice that sounded as if it was muffled by water. “You are Monara’s companion?”

Before Faye could answer, Monara said, “Yes. This is my friend, Faye. She has helped me understand much about her people, and has been very pleasant company.”

The male sylphid turned his eyes to her, and Faye felt the familiar sensation of an ever-so-faint wind coming into existence right inside of her ear canal. Brushing against her eardrums, the wind whispered faint, melodic words: “Hello, Faye.”

Her expression must have changed, for the cnidarian’s tendrils moved slightly and she said, “He apologizes if that startled you, if you are unfamiliar with how sylphids communicate with humans.”

“Oh, no…” Faye said, shaking her head. “I know that, but it’s just…always weird.” The “voices” of sylphids had always been strange to her, but this time it had felt different. All of the other times, she’d been in her magical state. That had seemed to negate whatever quality to their “voice” that could put humans into trances, even when sylphids had “spoken” insistences to her to give in to their control. Maybe it was just the way it felt… _nice_ , actually. That feeling of wind in her eardrums, the soft words.

The male sylphid’s “voice” filled her ears again, bringing a curious tingle almost like goosebumps down her neck. “I apologize for the surprise. Humans cannot understand us as we normally communicate, so this is our means to speak with you.”

“So…you speak with the wind?” How could someone comprehend what felt like little more than breezes and gusts upon them?

“It is all about small nuances, ebbs and flows,” Monara said. “The sylphid language is difficult to learn. But I enjoy their language. It is very beautiful and melodic when you understand it.”

The wind in Faye’s ears spoke, “Monara has explained it very well. I mean no insult, but even if you could have the aid of a codex, you would be unable to understand our true language. Your human senses are not fine enough.”

Only when the “voice” finished did Faye noticed Monara’s dress settle after one of the sylphid’s breezes. He must have been sharing what he said to Faye with them, and she’d been too fixated on the “voice” to notice. Would she slip into a trance if he continued speaking to her? Part of her dreaded the possibility…yet another part of her was curious. She’d spoken to people who had been snapped out of a sylphid trance, asking them if they were alright, and received the same response every time. The hypnotized people had seemed half-asleep, but when the trance broke, they claimed to feel fine, like they’d woken up from a perfect night’s rest.

“I should introduce you to my friends, Faye,” Monara said, snapping Faye out of those thoughts. That was for the best—this was far from the right time to think about the past. “This is Cerua, a cnidarian.” She gestured to the jellyfish-woman, who raised a hand as her bell glowed a bluish-green. Her seaweed-wrappings went up to her wrist, revealing a thumbless hand with four webbed digits that tapered into points. “And this is Leaf, a sylphid.”

Leaf? It seemed a curious name, but Faye didn’t know how Outsiders named themselves—or how they decided on the names they shared with humans. “Hello,” Faye said, giving a simple wave. “I’m Faye. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Leaf’s wind-voice spoke into her ears again. “‘Leaf’ is a sufficient name for discussions. My name, in your tongue, would be similar to ‘Zephyr that Guides the Leaves of Peace’, but that is longer than human names are.”

Faye nodded, unable to think of words until the pleasant feeling faded away. Cerua turned to Monara and said, “Is your mother coming, Monara?”

“No,” Monara replied. “She has important duties for our people to tend to.”

“That is a shame. But it is nice to meet your human friend.” Looking to Faye, Cerua asked, “Please, tell me how you and Monara met.”

Faye’s eyes shifted away for a moment. She didn’t want to concede that it was mere fascination with Monara’s appearance, even if that was the entire truth. “Well, we were at a table at a restaurant together, and we chatted for a bit over our drinks. We ended up running into each other more times. I was really curious about Monara and her people, and she wanted to know more about humankind.”

“It is good to know some humans welcome our company,” spoke Leaf’s wind-voice in Faye’s ears. If she closed her eyes now, would she be able to open them again? “It is good that not all consider us ‘outsiders’.”

The name that Faye and her friends had given the magical beings was a little less fitting these days, she supposed. They’d come up with it as something to refer to their enemies as, something that could sound innocuous if someone else heard them or read their texts. A bystander must have heard them use that word during one of their confrontations, and it soon became what the news and everyone else called them. Of course, she couldn’t admit to knowing anything about the origin of that term. Just thinking about it was probably risky—who knew if any of these Outsiders could read human minds?

The hooded chitin-faced Outsider at the table spoke up in a voice of gravelly growl-like noises. Cerua answered in her chirp-purrs.

“Were they asking about me?” Faye asked Monara quietly.

“No,” Monara said. “He was asking about when the performance will begin. Cerua replied that she did not know.”

“I could go ask.”

“Thank you, Faye.”

As Monara spoke in her langauge of clicks and hisses, probably explaining what Faye was doing, Faye walked out of the waiting room. Mr. Lamont was climbing the staircase, with a tall Outsider walking behind him and a second small Outsider floating along. Faye focused first on the unfamiliar Outsider. It looked about a foot tall, fluttering in the air with dragonfly-like wings that protruded out from the thick mane of aqua-coloured hair that was wrapped around its entire body save for its face.

The other Outsider’s kind was familiar to Faye. The tall humanoid walked upon taloned feet, his body covered in white plumage and a tunic that looked like a flexible sheet of polished gold. A large pair of feathered wings were upon his back, and smaller pairs were upon the sides of his head, the back of his waist, and the outsides of his ankles. Even with such a simple garment, the luster of his tunic and the way he carried himself almost screamed “royalty” to Faye.

“Ah, Miss Brice,” Mr. Lamont said, smiling. “Do you need something?”

Still staring at the avalerion and the small floating Outsider, Faye said, “Oh, there was someone wondering when the performance would begi—”

Before she could finish her sentence, the small Outsider appeared in a flash of sparkles a few feet from Faye’s face. She almost jumped, not from its sudden shift in location but from the ripples of energy she felt not _quite_ over her skin. The sensation wasn’t as strong as she’d recalled from the past—likely because of how small the Outsider was and the short distance it’d teleported—but just like a sudden scream in public, it still kindled that sense of urgency and that reactionary warmth deep inside of her.

Her eyes met the floating Outsider’s bright-blue orbs. The face might have resembled a small girl’s, but save for those all-blue eyes, there were no features on the face at all. It looked almost like some kind of creepy doll, staring blankly at her.

“Io!” the avalerion bellowed in a deep voice, his bronze beak opening wide with each syllable. “That is extremely impolite!”

The floating Outsider recoiled at the sound of the avalerion’s shout, and with a puff of light reappeared by the avalerion’s side. After a furious glare to his companion, the bird-man looked back to Faye. “My apologies for my companion’s behaviour. Io tends to be overly curious, even for an esperite.”

“I…see,” Faye said, shrugging. “Well, hello, to both of you. My name’s Faye.”

“Greetings.” The avalerion gave a small bow. “I am called Lleuad.”

Faye knew that name. She’d read it many times, and heard it on the evening news countless more. “You’re…the leader of the Outsiders here in our world, right?”

“That is one way to assess my duties, yes,” Lleuad said. “To oversee the peace and coexistence of our people in your world.”

Faye would have liked to know more about what his duties entailed, but such things were likely a topic he couldn’t discuss with an ordinary human like herself. Mr. Lamont spoke up. “Now that our last guests have arrived, we shall begin shortly. I shall tell the others.”

As Mr. Lamont headed into the waiting room, Faye looked back to the two Outsiders near her. Lleuad’s eyes met hers, beady eyes with pupils that burned like fire. He seemed incapable of anything other than an intense glare. “Are you an assistant to Mr. Lamont?” he asked.

“Oh, no,” Faye said, glancing over her shoulder as Mr. Lamont led the Outsiders into the hall. “I’m a guest of one of the other Outsiders.”

“My most sincere apologies!” Lleuad declared. “I am glad to hear that one of our kind was comfortable in bringing…” Io fluttered before Lleuad’s face, prompting a wave of his clawed hand. “Io! Not now!” Faye first thought the avalerion did strike the little being to the ground, but it floated up just before landing, seemingly unharmed. “Again, my apologies for my companion’s behaviour.”

Mr. Lamont opened the doors to the balcony. Lleuad gave another bow to Faye before walking in, Io hovering close behind him. As other Outsiders made their way in, Monara approached Faye. “You have met Lleuad?”

“Yes,” Faye said, watching him until he was no longer visible from the hall. “I’m guessing he’s someone important, huh?”

“He has been very devoted to upholding peace and order between our worlds, from the day the Glints first brought an end to the conflict.” Faye’s stomach twitched at the mention of the past— _her_ past. “All Outsiders in our world defer to his command.”

Once all of the other Outsiders had passed by, Monara reached out with her lower-right hand, taking Faye’s left hand. “Let us enter.”

Faye’s heart jumped into her throat as the slender, rigid fingers wrapped around her own. Monara took a step forward, but when her wing brushed against the unmoving Faye, she glanced back and said, “Is something wrong?”

“Uh…no,” Faye said quickly, shaking her head and stepping forward. “Sorry. Yeah, let’s…”

She didn’t know what to say. Did Monara realize how humans viewed hand-holding? Or had she interpreted it somewhere as a simple friendly gesture?

As if realizing the source of Faye’s hesitation, Monara asked, “Is it fine for me to take your hand?”

“Oh, it’s fine!” Faye blurted out, nodding rapidly. “It’s fine.”

Monara didn’t move for a moment, though her antennae wavered to the sides a bit. What in the world did that mean?

But Monara said nothing more, only smiling as she led the way into the theater. Faye walked by her side, thankful that it was too dark within for anyone to see her warming cheeks.

She…she wasn’t reading too much into a friendly gesture, was she?


	9. Routine

Some of the other Outsiders conversed with each other while they waited for the play to begin. Faye tapped her foot, listening to the chatter, trying not to think about Monara’s probably-innocuous gesture. Monara stood next to her, resting her lower hands on the railing; she couldn’t fit into the chairs with her wings. The only other Outsider not seated was Io, who was floating in front of Lleuad. “Io! Settle down!” he shouted, waving the esperite away before turning towards the others. “My apologies.”

When the lights above the stage turned on and the first actors emerged, silence fell over the balcony. Faye hadn’t read _A Midsummer Night’s Dream_ in high school, but it seemed a decent pick for such a performance. Though she had the occasional chuckle along the way, none of the Outsiders made much noise. Did they understand human humour? Did Outsiders have their own flavours of humour, or humour at all? Surely they had to.

At the end of the play, as the actors gathered upon the stage, Faye was the first to applaud. Most of the Outsiders followed suit, even if—like Cerua—their hands weren’t able to make a sound by clapping. A few of the actors’ costumes flapped about as if a sudden wind had blown in, visibly startling some of them. Cerua, the cnidarian, rose up and called out, “Our sylphid friend apologizes for that!”

Mr. Lamont, who had played a minor part in the play, picked up a microphone and looked up to the balcony. “It has been an honour and a pleasure for us to show you just one of the stories of our world. We look forward to many performances between the people of one world to another. From all of us in the Garden Players, we thank you for coming.”

As he headed down the aisle below, Faye turned to Monara. “So, what did you think of the play?”

The chrysidean held both pairs of hands together, not responding or turning at first, as if deep in thought. Finally, she said, “It was very fascinating. I did enjoy it.”

“Good to hear.”

The other Outsiders began to rise from their seats. The esperite started to soar all around the theater, flying over here and teleporting to there, evoking chuckles and stares from the actors below. Only once Lleuad bellowed, “Io! That is extremely impolite!” did she warp back to the group, flipping in the air. The esperite had managed to stay relatively-still for the entire performance; it must have had plenty of pent-up energy.

Faye and Monara allowed the others to descend down the staircase first, to where Mr. Lamont greeted the group. “So, did all of you enjoy the performance?”

Positive answers and a gust of wind that ruffled Mr. Lamont’s beard came from the Outsiders. Io twirled around Mr. Lamont, bringing him a smile. “I can take that as a yes, I presume.”

“Yes, you can,” Lleuad said. “Io! That is extremely impolite!” The floating Outsider fluttered over to the avalerion, hovering before his face. “You have much to learn about behaving in this world, my friend.” Io jittered up and down, a motion that reminded Faye of a nod.

“We may be from different worlds,” Mr. Lamont said, “but the arts are truly one way we can begin to bridge the gap between our worlds. It is a privilege to have you all here, and you are all welcome at our future performances. I look forward to inviting all of you back for our first Outsider-led performance.”

Each of the Outsiders expressed their thanks, with Faye the last to say, “Thank you!” Some of the Outsiders headed for the exit, including Lleuad and Io, while others conversed with each other or with Mr. Lamont.

As Faye considered asking Monara what other plans she had, she heard Cerua’s chirp-purring and saw her speaking with Monara. Monara answered in her hiss-clicks, starting a brief exchange between the two.

Once they finished, Monara turned to Faye. “I apologize, Faye, but Cerua has asked me to accompany her. I hope that is not a problem.”

“Oh, not at all,” Faye said. She would have loved to tag along, to learn more about Cerua as well, but she didn’t want to impose. “And thanks for bringing me along, Monara.”

“You are welcome. I had a wonderful time with you.” Faye’s stomach rippled at such a phrase. “If I may ask, Faye, could we meet tomorrow morning at the Fireside?”

And now Faye’s stomach twisted into a knot. “Sure. A-any reason?”

“I want to ask you something.”

There must have been a reason that she didn’t ask now. It was probably just something that’d take up too much time. “Sure, that’s fine,” Faye said. “See you then.”

“Thank you. Farewell, Faye.”

Cerua and Monara headed for the door. Faye almost spoke up, wondering if anything they’d said between themselves in their native tongues had been about Faye. But was that being a little paranoid?

The two sylphids followed them out, the last Outsiders to leave. Faye stood in the lobby, pondering what Monara might have wanted to ask. About the play? Or why she hesitated when Monara took her hand? Did she realize taking someone’s hand was usually a romantic gesture in the human world?

“They are fascinating, aren’t they?”

Faye almost jumped at the sound of Mr. Lamont’s voice. The man walked over, smiling as he gazed towards the door. “You know, I’d never imagined alien life being discovered in my lifetime. And now they even live among us.”

Butterflies of tension started to flutter, but Faye managed to reply. “Me neither. It seems so long ago that we didn’t know about their existence.”

“Yes. It even seems so long ago that they were an enemy of humankind.”

Faye turned away, her nerves on edge. She thought carefully before she replied. “Yeah. I was just a teenager then, but I knew other kids who’d been…” The way her voice trailed off seemed perfect in hindsight. “Sometimes I worried about something happening to me, my friends, my parents…”

“But you no longer fear them, Miss Brice?”

She tried to make her pauses now sound like pensive breaks. “I recognize some of the types of Outsiders from…back then. But the ones here now…they’re not bad people. They’re not our enemies anymore.”

She looked back to Mr. Lamont, hoping to see a sign of trust. He nodded in response to her words. “Indeed. I must admit, I was…hesitant to think of Outsiders living among us. Overseeing our work together was my way of getting to…overcome my own fears, after…”

Asking might be prying, but he didn’t sound unwilling to share. “After what, Mr. Lamont?”

Closing his eyes and putting a hand to his chin, he said, “It was back then. I was late for practice here, and on my way…I heard screaming, and that was the last thing I remembered then.”

When had that been? Could that have been the day she was here on the field trip, when trouble had arose during the opera? She had no clue what Mr. Lamont would have looked like five years ago, would have never had any reason to remember him specifically on such a dull day.

Faye’s teeth pressed into her lower lip, trying not to make a strange noise. “What happened to you?”

Exhaling deeply, Mr. Lamont continued, “The next thing I knew, I was in the middle of the street. And one of those women…the heroines, the news always called them…was there beside me. She told her companions that I was fine, then…offered me an apple.” An awkward chuckle escaped Mr. Lamont’s throat. “One of the bystanders told me what’d happened. The Outsiders had turned me into…some kind of monster, and those four heroines had saved me.”

 _Four_? Faye’s eyes widened, her fists clenched. Had it been the day Faye was at the Theater? Or was it before Caitlyn had joined them, before they’d… “You don’t…you don’t remember anything else about it, do you?”

Mr. Lamont shook his head. “No. Why?”

A cold stiffness flooded her throat. After they’d revealed themselves to humankind, the Outsiders had used magic to transform innocent people into creatures under their control. But no one seemed to recall anything from their time as such a monster. No one…but Caitlyn. Was it because of her inner magic, as Elia had theorized? “I…I knew someone in high school that had been…too…”

“I see.” Mr. Lamont closed his eyes for a moment, giving Faye a chance to regain her composure. His grim frown vanished, and a smile took its place. “But there’s no reason to hold good people accountable for the evil of others. I hope there aren’t too many people who still see Outsiders as the fearsome beings from their memories, instead of the honest people among us now.”

Faye nodded. It was all she could do, as she thought of what she could say to get herself out of there before she said something she’d regret. “Yes, I agree. It’s been a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Lamont, but I should be going.”

“Thank you for coming.” He held out his hand, and Faye took it with a smile. “Have a lovely day, Miss Brice, and I hope to see you and Monara here again.”

“You too, Mr. Lamont,” Faye said, shaking his hand.

She left the Parthenope Theater, spotting no Outsiders anywhere as she hurried down the steps. So many thoughts crossed in her mind, things she didn’t want to think about in public. Monara, Mr. Lamont, Cerua, Caitlyn…

For a second, she even thought about heading to work, until she remembered that she’d taken the whole day off. She had the rest of the day all to herself…

As she returned home alone, Faye pictured Monara with Cerua. Would the two be discussing Faye during that time?

And how would exactly would Monara be speaking of her?

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

Elia called halfway through the evening news, after Faye had finished her fettucine alfredo. Faye knew what she’d ask about, contemplated not answering, but pressed the button anyway. Better to tell Elia the truth rather than to let her speculate. “Hey, Elia,” Faye answered.

“ _Hey, Faye! So how did today go?_ ”

She needed a moment to set aside the lingering apprehension and anxiety about a few moments of the day, and when she thought about the experience as a whole… “You were right, Elia. Taking some time off was nice.”

“ _That’s great to hear. Did you get to meet with any Outsiders?_ ”

Monara’s request to meet again tomorrow echoed in Faye’s mind. “Yes, actually. I met an Outsider, and we’ve been getting along well.”

“ _What are they like? What kind of Outsider are they?_ ”

“She’s…” Maybe Elia would tease her about it if she knew the truth, but what point was there in lying to her friend? “She’s a chrysidean—a butterfly-woman.”

“ _Oh!_ ” Elia laughed, not in a mocking or amused way, but sounding only of cheer. “ _No wonder you worked up the nerve to get to know her, then._ ”

“Yeah, exactly.” The giggle that left Faye sounded genuine—it _was_ genuine. “I’m pretty sure we never faced one of her kind back then. I’d definitely remember.”

“ _You definitely would, and I’m sure I would too. I’m glad to hear you had such a great time. Hopefully you’ll be good friends and you’ll learn a lot from her._ ”

“Heh, she’s learning a lot from me.” Faye sighed, a contented noise rather than the usual uneasiness. “Elia, thanks for encouraging me to do this. I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

“ _Bye, Faye!_ ”

Elia hung up, and Faye set her phone back down.

 _Hopefully you’ll be good friends._ Monara did call her a friend often, and thinking of that made Faye smile. Even with the memory of Monara’s hand-holding, Faye couldn’t help but to feel happy about that.

Tomorrow would probably just be a few questions about the play they’d watched, and nothing more.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

On Thursday morning, Faye arrived at the Fireside, not even bothering to get herself a drink before heading over to the table occupied by the vibrant-winged chrysidean. “Faye,” Monara said, smiling before taking a sip of her coffee/hot-chocolate mix. “I am happy to see you.”

“Well, I was wondering about what you wanted to ask today,” Faye said, pulling in her chair and smiling. Today, the enthusiasm was winning out over the trepidation. She set her arms upon the table, one hand over the other.

“Yes.” Monara took another drink. Faye’s eyes rose to her antennae. They stood up tall, almost straight-up, reminding Faye of the way agitated cats’ tails shot up. Whatever Monara’s antennae meant, nothing else about her resembled anything like a cornered feline.

Several awkward seconds passed before Monara set her drink down, putting both pairs of hands together. “Faye, our conversations have been very enlightening and entertaining for me. Am I correct that you have felt the same way?”

“Yes, Monara,” Faye said, nodding. “I’ve really enjoyed our talks, and learning about you and your people.”

“I am very grateful for your companionship, Faye.” The chrysidean’s antennae lowered a touch. “Before I came to your world, I had feared that, given the conflict in the past, I would not find a human who would be willing to talk to me about their world.”

“I’m sure there’s plenty of people who’d love to share more with you,” Faye said. “They probably just don’t know how to introduce themselves, or what to say.”

Monara tilted her head forward a touch, then back—an almost-mechanical nod. “The day we first met was that of the commemoration of the Treaty between our worlds. I have reflected much upon this, on how much I would have never witnessed and experienced had it not been for humankind’s willingness to trust the people of my world. Or that of the Glints.”

Faye just smiled and nodded. “Kinda ironic, isn’t it?”

Monara was silent for a second. “I am unsure of the human notion of irony. Regardless, I am thankful for humankind for welcoming my people, and I am thankful for you for welcoming me.”

The probably-innocent gesture from yesterday sprang back into Faye’s mind. She could only hope she wasn’t blushing. “I’m glad I met you too, Monara. And I’m sure you’ll make plenty more human friends here.”

The chrysidean’s antennae twitched, and her lips formed a smile. “I am happy to have you as a friend as well, Faye. I have enjoyed our morning conversations and wish to have many more with you. Would you like to continue meeting on each Tuesday and Thursday, so we could talk more about our worlds?”

“Sure, that sounds great!” Would two days a week be enough to answer all the questions welling in Faye’s mind?

“And if any special occasion arises, I would be happy to invite you if I can. Is that fine with you?”

Thinking of more like the play at the Theater, Faye replied, “Sure!”

Monara’s smile widened. Her lower pair of arms reached forward, taking hold of Faye’s hands.

It took all of Faye’s will to not show any discomfort in her face, even as her heart wedged itself high up in her throat.

“I am honoured to be your friend, Faye.”

Her cheeks felt warm… “Likewise, Monara. I’m glad I met you.”

Monara’s tense antennae loosened a little. She withdrew her hands, but the smile remained. “Thank you, Faye. I will be returning to my world with my mother for several days, but I promise I will return to meet you on Tuesday.”

They’d yet to talk about what kind of place Monara’s kind hailed from. Even from what little she knew of the Outsider world, Faye was certain the chrysideans’ home was something she couldn’t even imagine. “Then I’ll see you on Tuesday. Take care, Monara!”

“Farewell, Faye.” The chrysidean rose from her seat, taking her drink and departing from the restaurant.

Faye remained in her seat, her hands still where Monara had left them on the table’s surface. For all Faye knew, others might have been watching their conversation, might still be staring at her, but she wouldn’t have noticed.

Monara…didn’t really think that way about her, did she? It felt strange to ponder, but…did Outsiders even have a concept of love? She didn’t think that they weren’t emotionless and uncaring, of course not, but even if they did “love”, were their feelings of affection anything like a human’s?

Despite her concern that she’d been a bother to Monara, Monara _wanted_ to discuss more with Faye, to sate the curiosity of a human she’d met only a few times. The idea seemed silly as it occurred to her, but even if it wasn’t the case, Faye wondered: did Outsiders believe in love at first sight?

But she set those thoughts aside, letting her brimming curiosities rise to the surface. Faye couldn’t want until Tuesday, to learn more about the chrysideans and the Outsider world, to learn more about Monara—

It was like running straight into a brick wall in her mind.

Would she have enjoyed talking to any other Outsider? Had she ever wanted to? Well, she had, but had she wanted to _enough_ that she actually _did_? If she had the chance, would learning about cnidarians from Monara’s friend Cerua excite her as much as talking to Monara?

It probably wouldn’t.

The moment she realized she was smiling, it vanished from Faye’s face in an instant. She didn’t think…she didn’t feel that way herself…

…did she?

As if her brain wanted to distract herself from such thoughts, Faye remembered that she was still in the Fireside. Wondering if she had looked like a weirdo or something to everyone else around, Faye pushed herself up and headed out of the restaurant. Work awaited, after all.

…work.

Her routine, repetitive job. Her _normal_ job.

Faye stopped several feet from the intersection, knowing she didn’t have any real choice but to continue onward. Such was human life, her life now. Even if she looked forward far more to meeting with Monara again, to more glimpses into the magical world…in the end, she still had to return to her normal life. To trudging through the nine-to-five, day after day.

Five years ago, Faye had never known what would come next. Sure, having to slip away from home or school whenever an Outsider threat arose had been awkward at times, yet Faye never knew what kind of foe they’d face next, what kind of powers they would possess.

But that time was long over. The woman who stood on the corner now wasn’t Papillon any longer…she was just Faye Brice, data-entry clerk, friend of a chrysidean.

That little glint of magic in her life would have to suffice.

With a heavy sigh, Faye continued on her way to work.


	10. Questions

A loud banging roused Faye from her sleep. “Huh…uh?” she mumbled, lifting her head from her pillow. As she checked the time—a few minutes until eight—that banging sounded yet again. It was…someone knocking at the door? This early on a Sunday?

Sighing, Faye pulled herself out from beneath the sheets. She pulled on a sweater over her pyjama top, all while whoever was at the door kept knocking, three steady strikes every ten seconds or so. Irritation gave way to concern as she headed for the door—what if something had happened?

The sight that greeted her upon opening the door did not answer that question. It wasn’t a police officer, as she had feared. It wasn’t one of her friends. It wasn’t a human at all. What stood before Faye had a humanoid upper body, the grey-blue torso clad in a vest made from the fur of some creature Faye probably couldn’t imagine. Thick moose-like antlers topped his hairless head, nearly grazing the ceiling. She didn’t lower her gaze below his waist, but Faye knew his lower body would be like an elk’s, save for bearing three pairs of legs. Upon his bony, shallow face, his eyes were narrowed and his mouth drawn into a stern frown—was this an attempt to emulate human expression, or genuine emotion?

“Excuse me, ma’am,” said the duneyrr, in a gruff and low voice. “I am called Erlend in your tongue, and I am here on behalf of the Guardant and the Helfeirch to speak with Faye Brice.”

“The…‘Guardant’?” Faye’s heart began to race. She’d never heard of such a thing. Monara had never used that word before, or whatever else he had said…“Helfeirch”? Given the duneyrr’s tone and stare—and the circumstances—it didn’t sound good.

Beneath his glare, Faye started to feel like she was shrinking. “I…I don’t understand.”

“I have several questions to ask you. This should not take much of your time.”

With a single slow nod, Faye said, “Okay…uh, what did you want to know?”

“Over the past several weeks, you have consorted with a chrysidean. Is that correct?”

This had something to do with Monara? It’d been nearly a month since they’d arranged their regular get-togethers in the morning. Why was she getting an Outsider questioning her about it all of a sudden?

Realizing she’d let several seconds pass without a response, Faye cleared her throat and said, “Yes, I have been meeting with a chrysidean. Her name is Monara.”

“Ah, that is what I was about to ask. Do tell me how long you have known this chrysidean. And tell me about your relationship.”

Relationship? Why did he have to use that word? She tried to ignore it as she thought of her answer. “A little over a month now. And we’re just friends. We meet to talk about stuff.”

“What have the two of you discussed?”

“We talk about each other’s worlds and people. She likes to learn about the human world, and she tells me a lot about her people and Outsiders.” Faye looked over the duneyrr’s face, trying to figure out what he was thinking. “Why are you asking me this?”

Ignoring her question, the duneyrr said, “Did she ever ask to accompany you to your home?”

Her eyebrow raised. “I have told her where I live, but she’s never asked anything like that.” How had this duneyrr found out where she lived? “Is there some kind of problem?”

As if Faye had never said her last sentence, the duneyrr replied, “Thank you for your cooperation. Have a pleasant day.”

Faye wanted to question him in turn, but she couldn’t work up the nerve to speak a word. The duneyrr stepped back, then glanced down the hall with a strange wide-eyed look. “Is something wrong?” she asked.

The duneyrr looked back to her. His expression didn’t seem as stern or stoic as it had been, but perhaps Faye was misreading his face. “I am uncertain about getting downstairs. Your human structures are rarely large enough for one of my kind to easily navigate, and climbing up here was difficult enough.”

How a six-legged deer-centaur had gotten to the seventh floor of an apartment building hadn’t even crossed her mind. “Well, how much do you weigh?”

“My weight?” Crossing his arms, with a narrowed brow that spoke more of bemusement than offense, he asked, “How would that help?”

“If you’re not too heavy, you could take the elevator down to the ground floor.”

“An…” The duneyrr looked down the hallway again. “Please, explain this ‘elevator’ to me.”

Faye would have chuckled if the duneyrr’s confusion hadn’t been preceded by an interrogation. She put on her shoes and said, “Look, follow me, I’ll show you.”

She led him down the hallway to the elevator doors. His head remained tilted downward slightly on the way there, to avoid bumping his antlers into the lights and sprinklers. His were quite large, though Faye had seen both bigger and smaller in the past; their antlers’ size and branching seemed to correlate with their power. One duneyrr her and the others had faced had narrow antlers that had twisted and bent about in ways that seemed physically impossible. The evening news that night had reported how nearby civilians had been unable to remember the Outsider’s appearance, even suffering migranes while attempting to do so. Any pictures and footage of the Outsider had turned out completely garbled, as opposed to the usual blurring of the Outsider’s appearance.

The duneyrr stopped and turned his body towards the elevator doors, and Faye nearly walked into him. “Sorry…” she said, before approaching the panel. “You press this to call the elevator.” Half a minute later, the doors opened. Thankfully, no one was inside—it was early Sunday morning, after all.

While he had to twist his upper body around, the duneyrr managed to fit into the elevator. Faye squeezed in towards the control panel. She looked around and found a plaque that read _Maximum Weight 1000lbs_. Hopefully, a magical being didn’t weigh as much as a similarly-sized Earth animal. “The numbers here indicate the floors,” she explained, pointing to the panel. “So if you press the _1_ button, you would go to the ground floor.”

“I believe I understand,” the duneyrr said, reaching for the button. As he pressed it, it lit up, prompting him to yank his hand away. “Is that correct?”

Faye nodded. The elevator doors closed. When the elevator began to descend, the duneyrr almost lost his balance. Thankfully, he didn’t collapse upon Faye, and though the elevator stopping unsteadied him again, he was fine once the door opened.

“I wish I had known about this elevator when I had arrived,” the duneyrr said. Holding a hand out to Faye, he said, “I thank you, ma’am.”

“You’re welcome.” She remembered why he’d been at her door just before she lifted her own hand, but shook his anyway just to be polite. “Um…I’m not in trouble for anything, am I?”

The duneyrr’s expression didn’t become serious once more. “Of course not. I am thankful for your answers. Take care, ma’am.”

The duneyrr trotted out of the elevator, drawing the eye of a black-haired woman who had just walked in with a coffee and a paper bag from the Fireside. She waved to Faye, hurrying towards the elevator.

Faye stepped out of the way. The woman entered, the aroma of coffee flooding the confined space. Pressing the _7_ button, she looked to Faye and said, “Hmm, never seen an Outsider in here before, huh?”

Shaking her head, Faye said, “No, I guess not. I haven’t.”

“He didn’t tell you what he was here for?”

In a way, he really hadn’t. “No. I just helped him figure out the elevator.”

“I suppose one of those… Do you know what those deer-folks are called?”

“Duneyrr.”

“Huh. Is that from mythology or something?” Faye shrugged; she suspected it was. “Like I was saying, I don’t have a clue of how they’d get up stairs.”

Faye tried to picture that herself, and understood why the duneyrr had been so nervous at the prospect of going _down_ them. “Yeah, I can see that.”

At the seventh floor, Faye walked out after the other woman, both of them headed in the same direction. Glancing down, Faye noticed distinct hoof-print impressions on the carpet. They went in both directions down the hall, making a path to Faye’s apartment and back. To Faye’s relief, the woman was too focused on her coffee to see the carpet. As she stopped at her apartment door, the woman said, “Good day to you!” Faye waved in response, then hurried back to her apartment.

She made sure the door was locked before she slumped down into the armchair. The duneyrr’s questions had all revolved around one subject: Monara. By his questions, he had known who Faye was meeting. But what was the problem? Were they suspicious of her for some reason? Or of their friendship? Maybe someone in the Fireside complained about their semiweekly meetings?

There were countless possibilities, but as hard as she tried, Faye couldn’t dispel the gathering butterflies. Nothing about Monara had ever alarmed Faye. She was friendly, open, curious. The questions she asked Faye weren’t weird or intrusive. Monara had mentioned plenty of things about her world, her home, her people—had she said something she wasn’t supposed to, revealed a secret of her own?

The duneyrr had mentioned two things that Monara never had: the “Guardant” and the “Helfeirch”. Given the questioning, Faye imagined the former to be the Outsiders’ equivalent of the police. But the latter? Her imagination pictured Outsider secret agents, but she doubted that idea.

Whatever the reason, it had to do with Monara. The duneyrr had seemed honest when he said that she wasn’t in trouble. She was just some average human, as far as they knew.

That was who she was now, and she just hoped they didn’t have any reason to believe otherwise.

She turned on the television, just to fill the air as she poured herself cereal.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

As Faye made herself a tuna sandwich at noon, her phone started to ring. Sighing, Faye hurried over to the coffee table, spotting Elia’s name on the screen as she raised it towards her ear. “Hello, Elia?”

“ _Hey, Faye,_ ” Elia said. “ _How are you doing?_ ”

Faye hesitated to answer. While she tried to figure out what to say, Elia’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “ _Faye, you still there?_ ”

“I’m still here,” Faye said. “Just…making a sandwich. Not much, really…”

She heard Elia sigh. “ _Something’s up, Faye. I can tell. What is it?_ ”

How could she even explain it to Elia? What if Elia grew suspicious of Monara too? Faye glanced out of the window, to the view of Garden City’s downtown.

Then again, if there was anyone she could trust with her secrets, it was Elia. “Actually, someone came over this morning.”

“ _Monara?_ ”

“No, a duneyrr.”

“ _What? Why? Were they one of Monara’s friends?_ ”

“I don’t know why.” Faye considered flopping into her armchair, but decided to keep watch over her half-made tuna salad. “He asked a bunch of questions about Monara and my friendship with her.” She twitched as she remembered the word he had actually used.

“ _Did he say why?_ ”

“No, he wouldn’t. I asked if I was in trouble, and he said no. I don’t know what it was about. Maybe something to do with Monara…”

“ _Are you sure it was serious? Maybe it’s someone who wanted to know how human-Outsider relations are going on._ ” A chuckle slipped through.

“Elia!” Faye said. She’d never mentioned or even hinted at her suspicions of Monara’s feelings towards her. All it was was friendly teasing, Faye knew.

“ _Sorry, Faye. But…you don’t think anything strange is going on with Monara?_ ”

“No, I don’t. I haven’t been suspicious of her at all.” With a shrug, Faye said, “I don’t know. It’s probably nothing.”

“ _I hope so. I don’t want you getting caught up in something._ ”

Faye nodded, sighing to herself. “Did you want to talk about anything? You saw Caitlyn yesterday, right? How was she?”

“ _Cait’s…fine. Y’know._ ”

“So she isn’t fine.”

“ _She was nervous at the store, but nothing happened._ ”

“Well…” Faye had almost said _that’s good_ , but “good” would have been Caitlyn admitting to herself what she needed.

“ _Actually, she wanted me to ask you something. She asked me if I had gotten to know any Outsiders well, and I told her that you were good friends with one._ ”

“Wait, _Cait_ wanted to talk about Outsiders?” How would Caitlyn have sounded bringing up that topic?

“ _It was just before I left. I think she’d been working up the nerve to ask._ ”

“Why did she ask, then?”

“ _Faye…Cait wanted to know if, maybe, you could introduce her to Monara._ ”

Not for a moment did Faye entertain the possibility that such a meeting would turn out well. “Elia, that’s probably a really bad idea.”

“ _Maybe, but…she really wants to get over her phobia, to not freak out at the sight of an Outsider._ ”

“Then why not tell her to see a therapist?”

“ _You know she won’t. She’s too scared of them finding out._ ”

Faye knew that it wasn’t even her own secrets that Cait was most afraid of others discovering. “You really think that won’t go badly? I don’t want to drag Monara into this just to end up scaring Cait.”

“ _She’ll know you trust Monara. That’ll probably help._ ”

There was an odd irony of speaking of trust in Monara hours after the duneyrr’s interrogation about Monara. “Elia, I really don’t think this is a good idea.”

“ _Just keep it in mind, okay? I’ll talk about it with Cait more, but if…if Monara is willing to help, then we can try. I just…_ ”

Sighing, Faye said, “I know. I just wish Cait was willing to get _actual_ help.”

“ _Yeah. Just…ask Monara, okay? She’d probably understand._ ”

Or for all she knew, Monara might be distrustful or offended about the whole thing. “Look, talk about it with Cait some more, okay? Make sure she’s positive that she wants to do this. I’ll talk to Monara about it, I guess.”

“ _I know it’s awkward…_ ”

“She really should just…”

“ _I know.” Elia sighed this time. “See you, Faye._ ”

“Bye, Elia.”

Faye put her phone on the counter, letting Elia have the honour of hanging up. Closing her eyes, Faye let out a frustrated groan. Even if Monara understood, what if she couldn’t help? How would she feel to incite a panic in Faye’s friend that she might not understand the reason of? If Faye just ended up wasting her time? Or what if she didn’t understand that Cait didn’t truly hate Outsiders?

And…and what about introducing Monara to Elia and Cait? What if Monara said something that embarrassed Faye, that they took in the wrong way? Or what if _Faye_ slipped up and said something that made her sound like she was more than friends with Monara?

Goodness…she was blushing just thinking about the embarrassment. Faye shook her head. There wasn’t anything more between them. She and Monara met at a coffee shop twice a week to talk. They’d had all of one encounter outside of the Fireside, a month ago. But most importantly—if Faye told them it wasn’t like that, she was sure they’d believe her.

She finally finished her tuna sandwich. Returning to her seat in front of the television, Faye checked the time. Half past noon. Two days until Tuesday. Her mind raced with thoughts not only on the unexpected questioning she’d received today, but other topics the two had discussed. Celebrity culture, echioran symphonies, science fiction, duneyrr tournaments, French cuisine, chrysidean desserts…

A smile crept over her face as she thought of Tuesday morning. For now, she forgot about another slow weekend day, another week of work on the horizon, and whatever made whoever the Helfeirch was nosy about their friendship.

And after that, it wouldn’t be much of a wait until Thursday.


	11. Paranoia

Tuesday began with a bowl of cereal before Faye headed off to the Fireside. As spring inched closer to summer, the sun was rising earlier and the weather was getting warmer. Rays of light shone between the towering buildings—it reminded Faye of a recent news report on how the solar panels atop almost every skyscraper in Garden City would soon produce enough electricity to power the entire downtown.

Faye and Monara had discussed solar panels in the past. She recalled the conversation as she walked down the sidewalk, giggling just like she had when Monara had admitted that she’d tried sitting in the sun for several hours, trying to draw energy from the sun via her wings. That had led to Faye explaining photosynthesis and human-world plants to Monara, and Monara in turn talked about Outsider-world flora. Just thinking about what Monara told her of brought back memories of the Outsider world, of what little Faye had seen of it. What wonders would she learn of, but never experience herself?

Halfway to the Fireside, Faye froze when she noticed a hunched hooded figure ahead of her. She immediately recalled the hooded chitin-faced Outsider from the theater, but from behind, she couldn’t tell if the person ahead was non-human or just someone walking in a peculiar way.

As soon as she stepped into the Fireside, Faye’s eyes immediately went to the splash of blue-violet in the corner of the plain restaurant interior. She ordered her hot chocolate, then hurried over to their table. “Hey, Monara!” she said, smiling wide as she sat down.

“Faye,” Monara said, smiling in turn. The chrysidean’s outfit today resembled a cardigan-and-blouse combination, the collar and v-line formed into the silk. Each of her arms were sleeved, and a knee-length smooth skirt completed the style. “Welcome, my friend.”

“Nice to see you.” Faye put her drink down. Their conversations gave plenty of time for Faye’s hot chocolate to cool to a comfortable temperature. “How was your weekend?”

“Quite pleasant,” Monara said, taking a sip of coffee/hot-chocolate. “I spent most of my time at the library, reading stories. I admit that I still have some difficulty with your written language, despite my understanding of your spoken language. But I am finding myself fond of these stories about humanity’s future.”

“More science fiction, then?”

“Indeed. It is interesting to see what your own kind see as your people’s future potential, for good or for bad.”

Faye had never really thought about that sort of thing herself…at least until magic had come into the equation. “So what do you think about our potential?”

Monara put both pairs of her hands together, pausing for a second. “I must admit, your people have far surpassed what I could have ever imagined was capable without magic. Many of the greatest accomplishments and discoveries in our world are rooted in magic.”

 _Discoveries_ … If scientific advancements seemed so amazing to Monara, what about the “discoveries” of the Outsider world?

“When I first learned about the invasion of your world,” Monara continued, “I had wondered what kind of power humans possessed to stand against the people of my world without magic of their own. Though I know now of the Glints who protected your world, I have no doubt that in time, your people would have developed weapons that would allow them to fight back against the invasion.”

“Maybe…” Faye gave an automatic nod and held her mouth firmly shut, despite how much she wished she could correct Monara on that. If there had been no humans imbued with magical powers…there would have been no chance to develop “weapons”. The Outsider invaders would have continued their clandestine plans, free from interference. Without the heroines, they would have never been rooted out, would have never abandoned their secrecy to launch overt attacks on humankind. The human world would have only learned of their existence once their plot came to fruition—once it was far too late to stop them.

But of course, Faye didn’t know that. An ordinary human like her _couldn’t_ know that.

To her relief, Monara didn’t linger on her half-hearted response. “I had wondered how beings without magic lived, but perhaps true strength is not one’s innate gifts. Humankind has learned to overcome their weaknesses and limitations, while Outsiders have relied on their magic.”

Nodding again, Faye said, “Do you think Outsiders will start to figure out technology?”

“Perhaps. I know that some technologies of your world do not function in our world. The nature of our worlds is very different. Maybe we will learn to utilize technology with our magic, while humans discover how to harness magic via technology.”

Such ideas would have seemed purely in the realm of science-fantasy years ago. How different would fiction become, now that magic was no longer fictional? How would science-fiction handle the reality of magic? Or would the rest of the world not think much about how different life was now in one single city—not that it was all that different yet?

Monara reached for her drink. Faye recalled the two things she needed to discuss with her. She couldn’t even imagine how to ask about Caitlyn, and the events of Sunday morning seemed far more pressing. But what if it would get in the way of their friendship?

As she lowered her coffee/hot-chocolate blend, Monara asked, “Is something on your mind, Faye?”

The weight of it upon her must have been obvious. “Yeah. Monara, on Sunday, a duneyrr came to my apartment. He said he came on behalf of the Guardant and…the ‘Hal’ or ‘Hel’ something…”

“The Helfeirch?”

“Yeah, that! Who are they?”

“You have met him already. Or did Lleuad not mention his title to you when you met him at the Parthenope Theater?”

That avalerion was the Helfeirch? The one who oversaw Outsider relations with humankind? So the interrogation had been ordered by someone who personally knew who Faye was, that her and Monara were friends—had he remembered her? Her stomach twisted, but she tried her best to not let it show. “I didn’t know it was him…”

“It is a word taken from one of your human languages, I believe. The best interpretation of his title in the avalerion language would be ‘lord of the hunters’.”

“‘Lord of the hunters’?” That didn’t make him sound much like a diplomat. “What does that have to do with overseeing Outsiders in the human world?”

“It does not. Avalerion society chooses those who excel at their duties to lead them, entrusting the strong and wise among their people to take responsibility for their future. A scholar of magic, an explorer of our world, and a champion of battle would all hold the same regard and reign in avalerion society.”

From the sound of his title, Lleuad likely fell into that last category. But how did that translate into overseeing peace between worlds? As much as Faye was curious about such a society, the original topic was far more important. “And what are the Guardant?”

“The Guardant are Outsiders who ensure people between our worlds. Their duty is to answer to any incidents caused by Outsiders and to ensure no Outsiders who could cause chaos in the human world are allowed to enter.”

“So…sort of like…Outsider police,” Faye said, trying to hide her shudder.

“I suppose that is a comparison. They are few in number, as there have been few problems that required their service. What did the visitor ask of you?”

Faye lowered her eyes. She trusted Monara. She enjoyed every second she spent with Monara. Just thinking about what she now knew about avalerions reminded her why. What if this drove a wedge between them, out of paranoia?

But it was just as much Monara’s business as it was Faye’s. “They asked about my friendship with you. How long I’ve known you, what we talk about. That’s it.”

“That seems rather mundane.”

“I know, but…I don’t know. Do you have any idea why they’d be interested in us?”

“No, I do not. I have not been spoken to by any member of the Guardant, so perhaps they were satisfied with your answers.”

Faye hoped so. How much _could_ an investigation by Outsiders uncover? One little slip could expose her and her friends’ secret.

Her concern hadn’t been sated completely, even if Monara didn’t seem too worried about it. But she’d rather think about other things, and one topic to further explore returned to her mind. “Earlier,” she said, forcing her frown into a smile, “you were talking about how avalerion leaders are chosen?”

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

When Faye finally arrived at work, she checked her phone. Time had slipped by so easily during her conversation with Monara, and she was eight minutes late when she walked through the front doors of Pathfinder R&D.

Ms. Drewe stood by her office door with her arms crossed as Faye headed towards her desk. There wasn’t any excuse Faye could give. “Sorry,” she said, stopping. “I’ll catch up during lunch.”

“Faye,” Ms. Drewe said with a frown, “please don’t make this a habit.

A habit…she wasn’t usually late. Just today, and on Thursday the week before, and Tuesday the week before that… “Sorry,” Faye said again, heading past her boss to her desk.

Faye stared at the screen for a few moments after the login finished. Dragging her hands over to the mouse and keyboard took a few seconds longer. She loaded up the spreadsheet program and data.

Just the same old routine…

Sighing to herself, Faye cleared her thoughts of avalerion culture and the Guardant visit. She’d forgotten to mention Caitlyn’s request, she realized; next time, perhaps. Maybe after Cait had some time to think it over.

Faye started typing, slower than her usual speed.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

All of the way home, Faye’s mind returned to the Guardant and whatever reason they could have had to question her. Maybe Monara hadn’t heard from them yet, or they knew enough about whatever concerned them to not need to speak with Monara. What if mentioning it to Monara would get Faye into trouble, too?

And how involved was the Helfeirch, Lleuad? She couldn’t recall how much she’d talked to him at the Parthenope Theater, what they’d said to each other. He must have known she’d been there with Monara. But that was a month ago? Had it taken that long for him to act on whatever he might have suspected? She just didn’t know.

What if… Even after all of this time, Faye still couldn’t help but to stare at Monara’s wings from time to time. A chrysidean’s wings channelled their ether. What if, ever since they’d met, Monara really had been charming her with her wings? Faye scoffed at the thought, even rolling her eyes. She’d fought several Outsiders who possessed powers of mental manipulation—Monara was nothing like them.

Faye took the stairs back up to the seventh floor of her apartment building. Halfway to the sixth floor, her phone started to ring. She stopped to pull out her phone, not recognizing the number on the screen. Answering the call, Faye said, “Hello?”

“ _Faye? Hello?_ ”

Faye froze. She hadn’t heard this voice in so long, and yet she knew it in a heartbeat. “H-Holly?”

“ _Yes, Faye. Can we talk?_ ”

She couldn’t see anyone, but heard echoing footsteps coming up from below. “In a second, okay? Just let me get back to my apartment, and I’ll call you back.”

Holly’s answer took longer than it should have. “ _Okay._ ”

Faye hung up, then slipped her phone back into her pocket. Her pulse pounded as she hurried the rest of the way to her home. Coincidences had always made her suspicious. What were the odds of Holly getting in touch with her the same week that she was interrogated by an Outsider? Maybe it was paranoia, but it felt safer to be cautious about all of this.

Once she was back in her apartment, Faye locked the door and headed into her bedroom, setting her bag down on her bed. She called Holly back, and once she heard the other end pick up, Faye said, “Okay, we can talk now.”

“ _Faye,_ ” Holly said, without a moment of hesitation, “ _Elia got in touch with me recently. She wanted to make sure that she could still get a hold of me. She told me a few things that have been going on._ ”

Without any doubt, Faye knew of one thing Elia must have mentioned to Holly. “Like…what?”

“ _She mentioned that you’ve befriended an Outsider._ ”

“So?” Holly sounded far more cross than something like that warranted. Frankly, it wasn’t any of her business in the first place. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“ _I didn’t say there was. But she said you’ve been talking with her a lot lately. About what?_ ”

A flash of anger towards Elia crossed Faye’s mind. “Nothing important, Holly. Just about each other’s worlds, and each other.”

“ _You haven’t let her know too much, have you?_ ”

Faye’s brow furrowed. “Of course not, Holly.”

“ _Nothing that you_ shouldn’t _know, right?_ ”

“Holly, I know how to keep a secret.” Faye bolted to her feet. “Did you really call me for once just to nag me?”

“ _I wanted to make sure that you remember to keep the past in the past. That you’re Faye Brice, not Papillon._ ”

For a moment, Faye considered hanging up. “What kind of nonsense is that?”

“ _Faye, Elia told me that you’ve had Outsiders questioning you about this friend of yours. I’m concerned that you might be putting yourself at risk._ ”

Elia had mentioned that to Holly? Faye needed a moment to cull her furious thoughts. She’d always been supportive of Faye’s friendship with Monara—did she really distrust Monara now? “At risk of _what_ , Holly?”

“ _What if they have good reason to be suspicious of your friend? Or what if they start wondering why you’re so interested in an Outsider?_ ”

Even if that had happened already, how was a friendship between a human and an Outsider so strange? “Look, Holly, I’m sure there’s nothing to Monara. Maybe you’re just taking cues from that fearmongerer you work for.”

“ _You know I started working at Powerwell before Lewis started spouting that crap, Faye! You know I don’t agree with anything that comes out of his mouth._ ”

Faye _didn’t_ know that; maybe Holly had joined Powerwell before the Treaty, before its CEO started pushing for restrictions on visiting Outsiders. Still, it had been a low blow…but the guilt that took the place of the spite wasn’t enough to provoke an apology out of her.

“ _Look, Faye,_ ” Holly continued, “ _I’m sorry if I sound patronizing, but even if there’s nothing going on with your friend, one little slip could expose who you were. Do you think you’d have any chance for privacy or security if the whole world knew your secret?_ ”

Maybe that would have been for the better in the first place. Trying to hide it had taken plenty of excuses and gotten her into tons of trouble—and Holly knew that all too well herself.

“ _And if someone finds out about you, don’t you think they’ll connect the dots, suspect people close to you? Elia, Cait, me, Lyris—it won’t be only you that they’ll start harassing._ ”

The harsh voice coming through the phone was a far cry from the Holly that Faye had once known, the teenage girl from five years ago who’d caught Faye right as she was about to faint. Faye had felt so…lethargic, tired, and she hadn’t understood why at all. Holly had helped her over to a nearby bench and gave her a bottle of water and an apple—she’d even specified that it was a Royal Gala. As odd as it’d seemed, Faye accepted the apple…and within a few bites, she _did_ feel better. _Too_ better. Faye had insisted on knowing more about what was going on, and it hadn’t been long before Faye learned the truth for herself.

“ _Faye?_ ”

Sighing, Faye said, “Okay, Holly. But…I wish you’d call more often.”

A few seconds passed without a response. “ _I’m sorry, Faye. I’m pretty busy these days. I just don’t have the time right now for that._ ”

But she had the time to jump down Faye’s throat. She was probably just busy with other people, new friends. “Holly…”

She racked her mind for one reason for Holly to make the time for them. It’d been Holly who’d led them, who’d taught each of them about their enemies and had helped them understand their powers. Maybe she hadn’t been a perfect leader at first, but by the time the final battle came, none of them doubted in her. And outside of all of that, she’d been just as inseparable as the rest of them—helping with schoolwork, talking about stuff they watched, even baking apple pies for them whenever they came over to her place. But after they’d saved the world, Holly…just didn’t hang out with them as often. She started dating, hung out with other people, got an after-school job.

After all, she hadn’t had a reason any more to _have_ to hang around with them. And she didn’t _have_ any reason to have to keep in touch now.

“…I’ll keep in mind what you said. Bye.”

“ _Be careful, Faye. And take care of yourself._ ”

Faye still held the phone by her ear as Holly hung up. Seconds passed before she finally lowered her arm. The first time in so long that she had heard from Holly…only to be treated like a child.

Maybe everything would have been easier if they hadn’t hidden their secrets in the first place. What kind of parent would have placed grades over saving the world from the Outsiders? What teacher would have told them off for being late because they’d been defending innocent people? If people had known that she was Papillon then…

…then maybe her life now would be just as Holly said. Or, as they’d feared back in those days, the Outsiders might have gone after their friends and families.

With a heavy sigh, Faye slipped away her phone and headed into the living room. It was almost time for the evening news, and she needed nothing more now than a distraction from the suspicion and distrust.


	12. Glimpse

Wednesday passed even slower than Tuesday, and each minute drained Faye more and more. When she woke on Thursday morning, she was brimming anew with energy. After her usual morning routine, she was out the door and on her way to the Fireside. This time, she told herself on the way to the restaurant, she’d have to bring up Caitlyn’s request.

“Hey, Monara!” she said as she approached their table, sitting down with her hot chocolate. “How are you?”

“I am fine, Faye,” Monara said with a smile that seemed _almost_ natural. “I trust that you are well?”

“I’m good, yes.” Faye took a sip of her hot chocolate, singing her tongue.

Neither of them said a word for an uncomfortable period. This was usually when one of them would bring up a topic to discuss, but for Faye at least, her mind lingered on the unexpected interest in their friendship. “You…haven’t heard anything from the Guardant, have you?”

“I have not,” Monara replied. “No one from the Guardant has questioned me about my meetings with you.”

While Faye could imagine worse news, the lack of any further info on that didn’t settle the unease in her stomach.

“Faye,” Monara asked, “are you concerned about trouble with the authorities of our worlds?”

Faye quickly shook her head. Even if they didn’t have a problem with their friendship, the more that she was underneath the lens of attention, the greater the risk was of her secrets being revealed. Realizing she hadn’t spoken an answer, Faye said, “No, not really. I just wish I knew why they asked that stuff.”

“Since there is nothing suspect about our relationship—” Faye twitched at the use of that word. “—I do not believe any action would be taken towards either of us. Why are you concerned?”

Forcing a shrug, Faye said, “I don’t know.”

“If anything, perhaps they were curious of why you enjoy my company. They may want to find ways to reach out to humans who may be too shy to approach Outsiders.”

Nothing about the questioning that Faye could remember gave her that impression. “I don’t know. If…if they did think you did something wrong, what would happen?”

Monara’s antennae drooped outward. Faye couldn’t recall the last time she’d seen such a visible movement of her antennae. “If I was believed to be a risk towards the peace between our worlds, I would be forced to return to my world. The Guardant do not permit visitors to your world if they believe they may cause chaos.”

Did Monara think such a judgement was possible? “How would they know that, anyway?” Faye asked.

“The sentries who oversee the portal between our worlds glimpse into those who wish to witness your world. If the sentries sense anything that makes them wary of one’s intentions or ability to live peacefully among humans, they are refused entry.”

Was that common? “What do you mean, ‘glimpse into’?”

“The sentries can see memories, intentions, thoughts. They assess whether one is suitable to come into your world. There are other concerns that may prohibit one from my world from entering yours. I am aware of some who would be too slow or too large to coexist here in Garden City.”

“Too large” wasn’t any concern to the invaders of five years ago. Faye and her friends had fought larger Outsiders, hulking monsters that towered over them. The first that came to Faye’s mind was a lion-lizard creature, bearing bronze-scaled skin with crackling tufts of violet fur. With each swing of its claws, lightning crashed down upon the ground, splitting the pavement and wrecking cars. Its breath was like static-charged air that immobilized anyone caught within it. Elia had gotten struck by its breath after an attack, and they’d needed to carry her away after the battle until she’d recovered enough to shift back to her normal self.

Only when Monara continued did Faye realize she’d been silent for a while. “I assure you, Faye. I am not concerned that the Guardant will demand that I return to my world.”

It didn’t answer all of Faye’s worries, but if Monara hadn’t been forced to leave the human world, did they truly suspect her of anything wrong? “Alright. I’m sorry to bother you about it again. I just…didn’t want anything to happen.”

“I understand your concern.” Monara finished off her drink quickly. Setting the empty container down, she said, “Faye, there is something I do wish to ask of you.”

“What is it?”

Monara’s antennae slowly rose back up, becoming straight and stiff. “My mother has made a request of me.”

“Your…mother?” Only one thing came to Faye’s mind—

“She wishes to meet you, Faye.”

The butterflies in Faye’s stomach erupted throughout her entire body. “Um…why?”

“I have mentioned you to her on several occasions. She is curious of the human I have befriended.”

Did Monara’s mother assume that they were more than “befriended”? And just how much had Monara told her mother about Faye? Taking a quick breath, Faye said, “Well, sure! I’m for it.”

“That is good. I must admit, I was nervous about asking this of you.”

That didn’t help Faye’s own nerves at all. “Well…why?”

Monara turned her head to look around the Fireside. “As your people would say, it is a long story.”

Faye would have certainly had the patience to hear it all out, just the same as all of Monara’s other stories. “Okay. So, did you have any particular day in mind?”

“Would this Saturday be suitable for you?”

“That sounds fine.” She just hoped Caitlyn wouldn’t need her on the weekend. “Where does your mother live here, anyway?”

“It is a building called the Terra Vista. It is the home of all Outsiders in Garden City. The residences are modified to suit the Outsiders who will be living within.”

“What’s your home like?”

“Chrysideans do not require any special accommodations. I have adorned my home here with decorations and furnishings of my people. It is a comfortable abode away from my world.”

They’d had many conversations about the home of the chrysideans, a great forest with several Outsider peoples residing within. Monara had described massive trees with large fungal growths that chrysideans made into their homes, but they hadn’t talked about what was within those homes. Perhaps she’d have a chance to see chrysidean art, whatever form it took.

More and more questions welled in Faye’s mind. Before she could start asking, she remembered arriving late for work on Tuesday. Checking her phone, Faye said, “I should get going now. Sorry, Monara. I guess I got here a little late.”

“It is no problem at all, Faye,” Monara replied. “I shall greet you at your home on Saturday.”

The duneyrr from the Guardant had asked Faye if Monara knew where she lived. Monara must have still remembered. Would Monara’s visit attract more attention, from her neighbours or the Guardant? All Faye could do was hope otherwise. “Alright, Monara. My apartment is #713. On the seventh floor. Just follow the odd numbers, you should find it easily.”

“I understand. Take care, Faye.”

“You too, Monara.” Faye rose from her seat. “See you on Saturday!”

She hurried out of the Fireside, her half-finished hot chocolate tight in her hands. Faye crossed the intersection before realizing that, once again, she’d forgotten Caitlyn’s request. Maybe it was worth going back to ask…but were Cait and Elia sure of the plan yet? Had Elia talked to Cait about it yet? There was plenty of time to work it out, and perhaps it was worth talking to Caitlyn herself before asking Monara.

But it wasn’t time to think about that stuff. As her thoughts turned to work, her pace down the sidewalk slowed more and more.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

Thursday and Friday dragged on in a blend of anticipation and nervousness. Monara’s mother probably wouldn’t be an unpleasant person, but what would she think of Faye? What did she think of her daughter’s friendship with Faye? And what if her mother believed there was more than friendship between them?

Those thoughts danced through Faye’s mind during the Friday evening news. About halfway through, there was a story about an Outsider who had taken a liking to rounding up grocery carts at supermarkets. His figure was blurred on the television screen and the news didn’t mention his kind’s name. The Outsider spoke in clear English, with a hint of echoing in his voice, as he described his dislike of the discord of scattered grocery carts. Faye wasn’t sure what species of Outsider he was, but she’d probably recognize one of his kind from their voice.

Near the end of the news, Faye’s phone started ringing. Caitlyn’s name was on the screen. Faye’s stomach twisted up, but she still answered. “Hello, Cait!”

“ _Hey, Faye._ ” Her voice was a bit quiet, but her voice was steady. “ _How have you been? How’s work and everything?_ ”

“Oh, I’m fine. Work’s fine.” Caitlyn probably knew just how much of a lie that last statement was. “Everything okay with you?”

“ _Yeah…yeah. Scott asked me out today._ ”

“He did?” Her midsection grew tenser. “Well, what did you say?”

A brief silence passed. “ _He asked if I wanted to see a movie. I said I’d love to hang out with him outside of work, but…I told him I wasn’t really into going to the theater. I asked if he wanted to come over on Sunday, and he said he would._ ”

“That’s good. Did he mind at all?

“ _I don’t think. I mean…I think he understands…that I wouldn’t want to. I’m just happy he wasn’t disappointed._ ”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

For a few seconds, all she heard on the other end was Cait’s breathing. “ _Um…Faye? M-maybe we could hang out tomorrow?_ ”

Faye froze up. Caitlyn needed her more, even if it was just for the encouragement and advice for the following day. What if she needed something from the store for her date with Scott? But she couldn’t get in touch with Monara to cancel their arrangement.

“ _F-Faye?_ ”

Sighing, Faye said, “I’m sorry, Cait. I already have plans tomorrow.”

“ _I…I understand._ ” That timidness had returned. “I _’m sorry to be such a bother…_ ”

Faye leaned forward in her seat. “Cait, you’re not a bother. You’re my friend. I like hanging out with you. It’s just that I had someone else ask me out for something tomorrow, and I already agreed.”

Cait’s voice rose a bit in tone. “ _Someone…asked you out?_ ”

“Oh, not like that!” A tiny giggle came through the phone. Would Cait have laughed if she had put two and two together and realized it was Faye’s Outsider friend? “Not at all. Just a friend, really.”

“ _Okay, Faye. I hope you have fun tomorrow. Don’t worry about me, okay? Bye._ ”

“You too, Cait. Have a good time with Scott!”

Faye lowered her phone, slumping forward as if a heavy weight had been lowered onto her shoulders. Hopefully Elia was free tomorrow, that she could help Cait with whatever she needed.

Still, it felt…selfish. Caitlyn had needed her. But as important as Cait was to her, Monara was too. She couldn’t just abandon her other plans.

And hopefully she wouldn’t be thinking about Caitlyn the entire time she was with Monara.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

When Faye heard the gentle rapping upon her door at noon on Saturday, she leapt off of the couch, a smile overcoming her face in an instant. She’d dressed herself in her nicest white blouse and beige pants—the same outfit she’d worn to the theater with Monara—and spent a bit more time neatening her hair.

She opened the door. For once, her eyes didn’t fixate on Monara’s blue-violet wings. The silk dress Monara wore could have passed for a bridal gown, even if it lacked the usual flowing skirt. Flowers woven of silk adorned her shoulders and the fingerless silk gloves over each of her four forearms.

Faye’s eyes rose to the chrysidean’s alien face. An ordinary woman in such a dress would have easily drawn Faye’s attention, especially if they were a pretty woman. Staring at that furred face, those buggy eyes, the feathered antennae, those vivid blue-violet butterfly wings…

“Greetings, Faye,” Monara said, smiling. “How are you today?”

Faye couldn’t answer. Her eyes remained fixed on Monara’s face, her fluffy hairstyle, the slight wavering of her antennae as if in reaction to Faye’s stare…

“Faye? Is there something on my antennae?”

Blinking a few times, Faye shook her head and said, “Oh, I’m fine…just…your dress is very beautiful.”

“Thank you, Faye. I wove it myself, taking inspiration from human fashion. You look wonderful today as well.”

“…thanks!” Faye blurted out. Of all of the faces Monara would know, human and Outsider, what would she find attractive? What did a chrysidean find attractive?

“Are you ready to depart now, Faye?”

Faye had imagined inviting Monara in, if only for a moment, but perhaps it was for the best that she didn’t see how plain and dull Faye’s life was. “Sure! Just let me get my shoes and coat on.”

Monara waited patiently in the hall until Faye stepped out. Faye called the elevator. When it arrived, a woman stepped out. “Oh, Faye!” she said, picking up her laundry basket. “Met another Outsider?”

It quickly clicked in Faye’s mind: this was the woman who had seen her with the duneyrr from the Guardant. “Oh, I…I’ve known Monara for a while now, actually.”

Faye’s neighbour stared at Monara with widening eyes. “I’ve never seen another of your people before. Your gown is beautiful! Did you bring that dress from your world?”

“Thank you for your kind words,” Monara said. “I made it myself, from my silk. I was inspired by human fashions. I am aware that some designers in your world are working on adapting our fashions into human garments and using our silk for clothing.”

“Oh, your own silk? That’s what your dress is made of?”

“Yes.”

Leaning in closer to inspect the material, the woman asked, “You wouldn’t mind if I touched it, would you?”

Faye’s eyebrow rose at the request, but Monara instead gave a smile. “You may.”

Setting down her laundry basket, the woman felt the skirt of Monara’s gown. “It’s wonderfully soft, isn’t it? I’d love a dress made of this someday. I just hope it isn’t too expensive!” As she picked up her laundry basket, she added, “Oh, sorry to stop you two. Have a nice time, both of you!”

“Thank you,” Monara said as the woman hurried on her way. Faye couldn’t manage a word.

As the two stepped into the elevator, Monara asked, “Is that woman your friend?”

“I know her, but not that well,” Faye replied, pressing the _1_ button. “We chat a bit every now and then, in the hall or when we’re doing laundry.” She was just thankful that the woman didn’t seem uneasy about an Outsider in the apartment building.

As the elevator descended, Monara mused, “I wonder how these elevators function.”

Faye knew the basics of that, but made a mental note to look up the details for Monara. Something else lingered in her thoughts, though. A curiosity that had been piqued. How could she even ask? Just as that woman had, she supposed. “Hey, Monara…can I touch your dress?”

“Yes, Faye.”

She turned to Monara. The confines of the elevator were still large enough for her wings to spread open. Faye’s slow and timid hand reached out, touching the skirt of Monara’s dress halfway down her leg. It felt very soft, with a fibrous feeling. Though she could feel the strands, it didn’t seem like it’d tear apart if she tried to unravel it.

Behind her came the noise of the elevator doors opening. Pulling her hand away, Faye straightened up and turned towards the two people standing outside. Faye said nothing, only rushing out of the elevator before her face turned red.

As she held the front door open for Monara, she couldn’t help but to stare at Monara. Her wings, her dress, her gloves…

Faye…couldn’t think of Monara as attractive, at least in the typical sense. The alien eyes, the hands that looked rough and uncomfortable, the extra pairs of arms, the fur that covered most of her body. She’d had plenty of crushes, had a good idea of what in a woman she found attractive, alluring.

Maybe she couldn’t call Monara “attractive” in that way. But the butterfly-woman who passed before her evoked no thought other than a single word.

She was…beautiful.


	13. Splendour

The route they took brought them to a part of the city Faye knew all too well. She’d seen the beige-brick structure ahead of them several times, but never in person. While the trim atop the Garden City Outsider Embassy tried to add a touch of elegance to the building, the plain grey walls around the back of the Embassy hardly seemed inviting. Perhaps they were decorated on the inner sides, something appropriate for an Outsider’s first glimpse into the human world. The thick stone didn’t keep Faye from feeling the energies of the portal between worlds. Nothing would seem to be there, until the magic of an Outsider kindled the passage—like on that fateful day, the day they’d memorialized with the selfies hidden on Faye’s phone shortly before they’d gathered here.

“Have you seen the Embassy before?” Monara asked.

She must have noticed Faye’s stare. Faye turned back to the sidewalk ahead. “I’ve seen it on the news a few times. Though I’ve never been inside, obviously.” Faye immediately wished she hadn’t felt the need to point that out.

“The human staff there were very welcoming when I first arrived here in your world. They assisted me in choosing a name to be called in the human tongue, taught me about human cultures and customs. I remember the awe I felt staring out of the windows, looking upon the human world for the first time.”

Even with their own lives at stake and the fate of humankind on their shoulders, the feeling that had overtaken Faye as the light of the portal had faded away into a world so unlike their own was one she could recall perfectly to this day. Monara’s awe of the human world likely wasn’t so different.

Turning down the next street, Monara said, “That tall brown building is the Terra Vista.”

Had it not been for Monara pointing it out, Faye wouldn’t have thought it was anything but an ordinary apartment building. Had the building been here five years ago? Or had it been constructed from scratch for the Outsiders?

They crossed the street at the next intersection, then approached the entrance. A violet awning in front of the entrance bore the words _Terra Vista_ in elegant white letters. Even this close, nothing about it suggested that it was the home-away-from-home of Outsiders in the human world.

Lowering her eyes to the door, Faye spotted a dark-haired man in a grey suit. Though he wore dark glasses, she could tell that he was staring at her as she approached with Monara. “Miss Monara,” the man said with a small nod. “She is a guest of yours?”

“Yes, Mr. Shimizu,” Monara said. “This is my friend, Faye.”

“Your mother informed me that you would have a visitor today. Your full name, please.”

Faye stepped forward. “Faye Brice.”

“Very well, Miss Brice,” Mr. Shimizu said. “Please understand that there are strict rules within the Terra Vista. Do not make excessive noise without the complex. Do not disturb other residents, and do not enter residences without the owner’s permission and presence. Failure to follow these rules will result in your immediate removal from the premises.”

“Of…of course,” Faye said, a bit unnerved by the strictness. “Is trouble here common?”

“I do not discuss other visitors,” the doorman replied bluntly.

“I am unaware of any instances of trouble,” Monara said. “But there are very rarely human visitors here.”

Giving a single nod, Mr. Shimizu said, “Very well, Miss Brice. Have a pleasant visit to Terra Vista.” Looking to Monara, he added, “Good day to you, Miss Monara. Please give my regards to Queen Avonia.”

“I will, Mr. Shimizu,” Monara said.

Queen Avonia? Faye’s eyebrow rose. Their conversations had never touched upon whoever led the chrysidean people. That wasn’t, by any chance…

The guard pressed a button on his phone, prompting a click from the doors. Monara led the way inside, into a white lobby with walls adorned with flower patterns. No one stood behind the front desk; no staff were anywhere in sight.

As Monara continued towards the elevator, Faye said, “Monara…is this Queen Avonia your mother?”

“Yes, Faye,” Monara replied, without her pace faltering at all. “My mother is the ruler of my people.”

Faye stopped in her tracks. She tried to recall everything she knew about Monara, all of the conversations they had. Nothing she remembered hinted at this truth about her. “So…so you’re a princess?”

“That is how your people would describe it, yes.” Monara walked back towards Faye. “I am my mother’s only daughter, and as such I will assume leadership over my people one day.”

If Faye had known any of that…well, she would have had far more questions about chrysidean royalty for Monara. Yet somehow, this discovery about Monara seemed far less fascinating than everything else about her. For now, it occurred to Faye that she’d come to a stop, and she continued towards the elevator. Within, Monara pressed the _10_ button—the top floor—then turned to Faye. “Faye, I must ask that you never mention what I have just told you to anyone else.”

“Of course, Monara,” Faye said. After all, she had her own secret to keep.

“Thank you, Faye. I was asked to keep my status a secret, out of concern of what others might do that could harm the peace between our worlds.”

The elevator reached the tenth floor. The doors opened to a male chrysidean standing near the opposite wall, clad in a simple silk robe. His brown fur matched the dominant colour of his folded wings. “Monara,” he said, approaching as Monara and Faye stepped out of the elevator. “Your mother sensed your arrival. She will be ready soon, but you are welcome to enter.”

“Thank you,” Monara said, her hands together.

As they followed the male chrysidean, Faye asked in a low voice, “Your mother ‘sensed’ us?”

“My people can sense the ether of fellow Outsiders through our antennae,” Monara explained. “She will know that I am here.”

Faye imagined such a sense was much stronger than what she and her fellow heroines were capable of, even in their magical states. At first, they had discovered Outsider agents by stumbling upon the echoes of their magic and following them to their source. As they honed their powers, they became capable of sensing the ripples from teleportation, even as their normal selves, and knew from that when an attack was taking place. Elia had honed her magical senses the most of the five; she’d almost gotten herself in hot water when she’d greeted a friend approaching from her right without even glancing in their direction, leaving them confused as to how she knew it was them.

The hallway they walked down bore gold trim upon the burgundy walls and carpet. They passed by several apartments on each side of the corridor. The top floor of the building must have been where important Outsiders resided. What kind of Outsiders lived behind those silver-accented doors? Might one of these apartments belong to the Helfeirch, Lleuad? And what accommodations were made to turn an apartment into a suitable home for an avalerion?

The male chrysidean approached one door near the end of the hall, but it opened without him even extending his arm. Monara paused by the door, allowing Faye to enter first.

The room opened up to what must have been a living room at some point, before being converted into an Outsider’s residence. Short curtains covered the windows, blocking some of the sunlight from outside. The rest of the walls were covered in silk tapestries, woven with coloured strands forming bright and vibrant patterns. Several silk cushions were positioned on the floor, before a curious silken half-shell flanked by two chrysideans. Both wore long white dresses that looked like as a breeze, with breastplates made from silvery-blue scales. One had crimson butterfly-esque wings and bronze fur, while the other had pale-blue moth-like wings and greyish fur. Each held a staff in the two hands opposite of the thing between them, matching the colour of their bearer’s wings.

A tapestry to the left of one of the chrysideans began to glow purple, then parted in the center—Faye hadn’t realized it was a curtain over a doorway. The light came from a pair of large violet wings, adorned with red and black patterns that resembled cats-eyes at the corners, casting a purple hue over the entire room. The chrysidean who bore the wings was clad in what resembled a cross between a gown and a toga, an elegant dress suspended from one shoulder and supported by bands of silk around her waist. Her fur was a dark violet, almost black-looking against the shine of her wings. She stepped into the hollow shell, her body illuminated by the reflected light within. Though Faye had never tried her magical senses when she was with Monara, now she did so subconsciously—that, or Queen Avonia’s magic was so strong Faye could feel it without any effort.

When she spoke, she did so without any movement of her antennae or other facial features. “Welcome,” she said. “Please sit, friend of my daughter.”

Faye glanced to her side; Monara was already cross-legged on one of the cushions. Giving a small bow, Faye said, “It…it’s an honour to meet you, Queen Avonia.”

The chrysidean queen’s antennae moved a bit outward. “You need not display such humility. You are my guest. This place is a far cry from the splendour of our home, but it will have to suffice.”

Monara lifted her head. “Mother, this is Faye, my friend. She has been very welcoming to me and has told me much about her world.”

“The one you have told me so much about.” Queen Avonia laced the fingers of her upper pair of hands together, while her lower hands rested upon her lap. “My daughter speaks very fondly of you.”

“She’s been wonderful company,” Faye replied. “I’ve learned a lot about your people and world from her.”

“Sharing our secrets with one of another world, my daughter?” Before a word could leave Monara’s parted lips, Queen Avonia continued. “I jest, of course. Our people have few secrets, and I am certain that Monara can be trusted with them. And I suspect you are now privy to one that she trusts you with.”

Faye didn’t need to think twice about what secret that is. “I promise I won’t tell anyone about who Monara is.”

“Good.” Avonia turned her head towards Monara, a hand raising to her chin. “Tell me again what it is that the two of you often discuss.”

As Faye sat down, Monara answered, “We talk of each other’s worlds, our co-existence, our exchange of culture and knowledge.”

“Ah, I’ve heard much of such efforts. But I admit I have followed little of such discussion. It is not a topic that interests me.”

“I am sure human technology will benefit our world,” Monara said. “So many things here are beyond what I have seen in our world, and yet so commonplace here.”

“Perhaps, my dear. But what of it would truly make the lives of our people happier?” The chrysidean queen turned back to Faye. “I mean no insult to your people and your accomplishments. But my people live simple, peaceful lives. There is little that would benefit us that we cannot do with magic. Though I suppose that only shows how different our worlds are. Or how different the peoples of my world are. Or even how different mother and daughter are.”

Faye would have admitted that Queen Avonia had a point. Of everything humankind had accomplished, all of their advancements…it still wasn’t magic. All of the scientific knowledge in the world hadn’t defended humankind against a magical threat. And even if Outsiders came to understand human technology, what use would they have for it that magic wouldn’t suffice for?

“I will admit,” Queen Avonia said, “I am surprised that the peoples of our world have been welcomed into yours, so soon after the Conflict. I had imagined the invasion, our very presence, would be dreadful for your people, for the ones without power to defend themselves. If you are willing to answer, may I ask about your own thoughts during that time?”

Faye’s eyes lowered, a sinking cold flooding into her stomach. As if noticing her discomfort, Monara said, “Mother, perhaps there are other subjects we could discuss.”

“As I said, she is free to not answer. But are you not curious yourself, my daughter? I am surprised it never came up in your conversations.” The Queen’s attention shifted to Faye. “I can proudly boast that our people were not involved in the invasion of your world. I did not send my people into the service of the architect of that invasion—the one your people called the Empress, as my daughter tells me.”

“Mother,” Monara said, “is that something we should speak of before Faye?”

“I am certain you have already discussed much that the Guardant would not want shared with a human?” For the first time, a smile crossed Queen Avonia’s face—it looked just as awkward as Monara’s smiles first had. “Those who oversee the peace between our worlds do not allow us to speak of that one, as if to strike her from history and memory will erase the shadow of her actions. But that is another topic altogether. I still am curious about your answer to my question.”

Faye closed her eyes, pondering how to answer. One single detail, like how Faye _knew_ Queen Avonia was telling the truth about chrysideans’ non-involvement in the invasion, could give away too much. “Well…I didn’t see any Outsiders myself back then, but I’d heard a lot about them, from friends who’d seen them, who’d nearly been attacked by them. A lot of people were terrified—my parents considered moving away from Garden City, but there was so much going on at the time…”

Her eyes returned to Queen Avonia, hoping for some sign that the chrysidean was satisfied with Faye’s answer. “But were you fearful of those of our world? Are you not reminded of that fear when you look upon my daughter, or others of our world in your own?”

Faye glanced to Monara. She recalled what she still needed to ask of Monara, about Caitlyn. But it wasn’t as if Faye had never feared for her friends, her family, even herself. The one Outsider that had given Faye a few nightmares was that bird-like plant-Outsider who’d hypnotized Holly. The memory was just as vivid as many of her fond ones—the blank stare Holly had met them with, the flowers sprouting throughout her hair, the panic in Faye’s heart as she imagined the Outsider commanding her friend to attack them—

“Faye,” Monara asked, placing a hand on her shoulder, “are you alright? You do not need to answer if you do not want to.”

She took a deep breath, reminding herself that the worst hadn’t played out then. “Not really, no. I know most folks are still nervous around Outsiders, but I know the ones in Garden City only want to live peacefully with humans. And I was always curious about them, but I’d never found the time to get to know any of them…until I ran into Monara, that is.” A chuckle left her throat, hopefully one neither Monara nor her mother would recognize as half-hearted.

Queen Avonia smiled. “I do apologize for any discomfort my questions have evoked. I suppose, like my daughter, I am sometimes curious of your people. Especially those my daughter has taken such interest in.”

Faye glanced to Monara, wondering if her antennae lowering to the sides was an indicator of embarrassment, much like the blush on Faye’s cheeks. “Faye has been a wonderful friend,” Monara said. “I hope I will make many more in my time here.”

“Perhaps you will, my daughter. I can only hope you meet more humans as welcoming as Faye. And perhaps the day may come when we may welcome you to our home, in our world.”

How could Faye not want to see the world Monara had described to her so many times, to know in person how her people lived in their own world? To witness their magic? “It would be an honour, Queen Avonia.”

The chrysidean queen stepped out from the silken shell. “My daughter,” she said, “it was delightful to meet your human friend, to see why you cherish her so. I must take my leave now, as I have matters to attend to later in the day. I can only hope we will meet again, Faye, here in your world or in our world.”

Monara stood first, and Faye followed suit, giving another small bow. “There is no need for such gestures,” Queen Avonia said. “Etiquette before royalty is much different among my people.”

Then Faye hoped she would have the opportunity to learn such customs of the chrysidean people. Monara took Faye’s hand and led her to the exit, the male chrysidean holding the door open for them and closing it after they left.

Monara’s fingers released Faye’s hand. When Faye looked to her, her antennae were drooped. “Faye,” she said, “I apologize if my mother’s questions caused you distress.”

“Oh, it was…it was fine, Monara,” Faye replied. “I was just…”

“I must admit,” Monara continued, lowering her head, “I have often wondered of the memories of the Outsider invasion, and of your own in particular. If someone you had known had suffered from their attacks, or if you had yourself, I might have never had the privilege of knowing you. I can only be thankful for those who forgive us for our past actions.”

Faye clutched her hands together, racking her mind for something to tell Monara. “There’s people who were attacked by the Outsiders back then who have no problem with them now.” Mr. Lamont from the Parthenope Theater came to mind…but so did Caitlyn, and what Faye still needed to ask of Monara. “And I’m sure there’s plenty of people who understand that the Outsiders who invaded our world aren’t the same ones living with us today.”

Monara didn’t react at first. Her mother had said that she hadn’t made any friends like Faye prior… Was that because most people really weren’t comfortable with Outsiders yet? Or was her mother referring to how close the two had become?

The chrysidean’s antennae perked up a little, and so did her head. “I hope you are right, Faye.” She turned around. “Since you are here, would you like to come to my residence? I would love to show you my home.”

Though Faye’s heart leapt into her throat, her apprehension was a distant second to her anticipation. “Sure!”

Monara took Faye’s hand. The rough fingertips along with the soft silk of her gloves almost brought goosebumps to Faye’s skin, but she kept herself from overreacting. She closed her own fingers around Monara’s, and the two headed back towards the elevators.

All the while, Faye’s cheeks glowed red despite her best efforts. It was one thing for a friend to invite another to their home. But what had just passed couldn’t have felt more like a girlfriend introducing Faye to her mom.


	14. Cocoon

Monara stopped the elevator on the fourth floor, leading Faye down to Room 407. Not a single other Outsider crossed their path, much to Faye’s disappointment. “Come inside,” Monara said as she opened the door.

“Your room isn’t locked?” asked Faye.

“No. No one else here would have interest in my home when I am away.”

Faye followed Monara inside, stopping as soon as she passed through the threshold. Silk tapestries hung upon the walls, depicting woodland vistas and otherworldly creatures Faye had never seen in her brief venture into the Outsider world. The only human furniture within what had been meant as a normal living room was a large coffee table, surrounded by chrysidean silk cushions. Books were spread upon the table, along with an unsolved Rubik’s cube perched on the corner.

“Please sit,” Monara said. “Make yourself comfortable.”

Though Faye made slow steps towards the cushions, her eyes remained fixed upon the tapestries. Images of forests with countless trees, mushrooms of various types growing from the sides of the trees. A vast silvery plain beneath a familiar violet sky, a vague creature sprinting through the tall grasses. A six-winged bird-like creature, a white silhouette bordered by dark-blue. The bird’s wings were like a moth’s in flight, with an extra pair in the middle.

“I see you are fascinated by our art,” Monara said, behind Faye.

“It’s beautiful,” Faye said, stepping closer to inspect the construction of the bird-creature tapestry. How many strands of silk formed each picture? How long did it take their creators to weave each tapestry? Or to produce the silk needed for them? “Did you make these?”

“I did not.” When Faye turned around, Monara had taken a seat at the table. “They were gifts from my people, for those who wished to make residence here in your world. I will admit that I am not the most skilled weaver of tapestries.”

“Your dresses are art themselves,” Faye said, looking back to the tapestries. Her eyes settled on one of a creature on a dark background that resembled a wolf or fox, except with eight legs, eight eyes like a spider, and a barbed stinger that protruded from the end of its thick furry-looking tail. “These are…creatures from your world?”

“Yes. There are many fascinating creatures in my world, but I have seen many interesting animals here in your world. There is a squirrel that enjoys sitting next to me in the park behind this building.”

“Wait.” Faye spun around. “A _squirrel_ comes over and sits next to you?”

“Yes,” Monara said, as if such a thing wasn’t unusual in the slightest.

Faye pictured that, almost cracking up at the idea. How would a dog or cat, or even a butterfly interact with an Outsider? How did the animals of the Outsider world interact with the Outsiders? Or were they even truly “animals” in the same manner as Earth fauna?

After another look at the tapestries, Faye sat down upon one of the cushions, across the table from Monara. She gazed over the collection of books in front of her. Science-fiction novels, books on human history, several scripts of plays, and…to Faye’s amusement, a book on Rubik’s cubes.

“Written fiction is not common in our world,” Monara said, “but there are many of your storytellers versed in such craft. The stories about your hypothetical future are the ones I find most fascinating.”

Faye nodded. Near Monara was a book with a butterfly-winged fairy upon the cover. What did Monara think when she read about fairies or saw images of them? “Yeah, I like sci-fi too. And fantasy. I’ve always liked stories about magic and fantastic beings…”

“Then I suppose your interest in me and my world is no surprise.”

Faye felt herself start to blush before Monara had added the words _and my world_. “Um…to be honest, I’ve always found butterflies fascinating. So when a butterfly-person sat in front of me one day…” She gave a smile, as Monara would know the rest of that story.

“I see,” Monara replied. “It fascinates me that creatures that resemble peoples from my world exist in yours. I wonder why.”

That was something Faye imagined she’d never know. “I’ve thought about that, too. Sometimes I wonder about the kinds of Outsiders I’ve yet to see, even ones that might already live here in Garden City that I haven’t met yet.”

“There are many in my world who have yet to enter yours peacefully. Some could not exist here among humans. Others have simply yet to send members here.”

Faye figured the more monstrous Outsiders were most of whom composed that first group, but another Outsider race came to mind. “I would have figured cnidarians would have needed to live in water.”

“The garments they wear are made of a seaweed from our world that retains moisture well. They do need to be refreshed with water frequently, but it suffices to allow them to remain out of water for several hours.”

“I guess cnidarians who live here have pools or bathtubs in their apartments?”

“They reside in the pools here, along with the trygon. There are not many of them here in your world, and they are a close-knit and communal people.”

Faye could picture cnidarians in a massive swimming pool, but… “What’s a trygon?”

“They are beings that reside within massive shell-like bodies while underwater. When they emerge onto land, they separate from their shells, bearing bodies not dissimilar to yours and mine. I imagine you would not recognize a trygon outside of their shell from their appearance within their shell.”

As curious as Faye now was, she didn’t want to ask to see the trygon as if they were on display at a zoo. Monara’s description did evoke a certain comparison, though perhaps Faye was one of the few who’d think of it. “Sort of like a selkie, huh?”

Monara paused, her hands coming together. “I know of that word, but I do not know its meaning. Is it from the mythology of your people?”

Faye nodded. “Yes—people who wear seal-skins to live in the sea, and take them off to come onto dry land.” Shifting wasn’t quite shedding one’s skin, but it had inspired the title Elia took as a heroine. But what if _that_ was how Monara knew the word? If Faye ever used the word “Papillon” around her, would she think of butterflies—or the heroine she didn’t know she knew?

She gazed around the room to distract herself. Aside from the material used, there wasn’t anything too out of the ordinary in Monara’s living room. “What sort of accommodations do chrysideans need? Do you have beds you sleep in, or…?”

Placing her hands on the edge of the table, as if ready to stand up, Monara replied, “I could show you.”

Though Faye might not have been comfortable showing her own bedroom to others, Monara’s willingness piqued her curiosity. “Sure.”

The two of them rose, and Monara led the way down the short hall to the side. They passed by a small kitchen separate from the living room, one just as stocked as a human kitchen would be, and a bathroom that seemed completely untouched. The last door was closed; Monara opened it and entered.

Most of the bedroom was empty, devoid of furniture or even decorations. In the corner opposite of the door was the only thing in the room. Faye’s eyes sprang wide open, thinking at first it was some kind of…well, she didn’t know what to think of it. It was almost as tall as the room, held in place with bunches of silk. Strands, ribbons, and sheets of silk dangled around a large opening, while the interior and intact exterior were tidily-woven into a smooth surface. The colour of it was just the same as all of the clothing Monara wore.

Faye stepped closer, her stare uninterrupted by even a single blink. “It’s…a cocoon.”

“Yes,” Monara answered, walking to Faye’s side. “Chrysideans weave cocoons for rest and regeneration. Within, we can rejuvenate our bodies and refresh our minds. The silken walls insulate and amplify our ether to restore us.”

“Ether?” Faye asked, hoping to finally hear more on the subject.

“Ether is the essence of life in my world,” Monara said. “All life there is composed of ether. It is an energy that flows with the wind and the water, bringing existence from nothingness. It is life, it is magic. It is the very core of our beings.” Monara’s voice had risen slightly in tone, as if in amazement of the wonders of her own world. “I understand that the beings of your world do not exist in the same manner as we do.”

Faye nodded. Science had explanations for how the human body worked, for how living organisms were actually alive and conscious. But humans had some form of energy, different from the ether of the Outsider world. The Outsider invaders tasked with gathering it from humans called it “anima”. Taking small amounts, as they had done at first, didn’t cause serious harm—just temporary exhaustion and weariness that no one would have believed was the cause of otherworldly beings. It was only once Holly, Faye, and Elia had thwarted their hidden agents in the human world that the Outsiders had been forced into open attacks, attempting to capture humans to harvest their anima. Holly’s healing apples were always able to revitalize the Outsiders’ victims, but they’d always feared what might happen if they didn’t rescue those the Outsiders had abducted quickly enough.

She now realized that her silence must have been making Monara curious. “Rejuvenating your body…so your cocoons heal your people?”

“Yes. Even mortal injury can be healed within a cocoon. One of our kind could live within a cocoon for thousands of your years. Within our cocoons, we rest, grow, and bear children.”

Chrysideans undergoing some sort of metamorphosis wasn’t surprising, but that last one made her wonder. “Children?” she asked, regretting bringing that topic up almost immediately.

Turning back to the cocoon, Monara said, “Two chrysideans who wish to have a child will weave a cocoon together. They will enclose themselves within, where one will pass on part of their ether to the other. The bearer of the child remains within the cocoon until the child is born.”

Faye imagined such a process, as eerie and mystical as it was. An odd question struck her, but it carried the risk that Monara might think Faye was asking it for the completely wrong reasons. Still, that curiosity burned a hole in her will and it soon came out. “What if…well, do you think a chrysidean and a human could have a child together?”

To her relief, Monara didn’t seem to react unusually to that question. “I doubt it would even be possible for beings of different worlds to have children together. I know that it is possible for Outsiders of different peoples to have children together with the aid of magic. Perhaps magic could make it possible, but none among my people would know of such a magic.”

Different Outsiders could have children together? Perhaps Faye would save that curiosity for another time. Her attention returned to the cocoon. It was a magical thing, that much was clear from what Monara said about chrysidean cocoons. What would it be like inside of one, sealed away from the world? What would even happen to a human within a chrysidean cocoon?

As curious as she was, she realized that Monara wouldn’t have known anyway. “Thank you for showing me this, Monara. But…I’m sorry for being nosy. I can imagine this is a private place for you.”

“It is not private. Even if it was, I would have still shown it to you. Your wonder and curiosity are delightful to witness.”

Faye couldn’t help but to smile. “It really is fascinating. I’m glad I’ve been able to learn so much from you.”

“I am very thankful for your friendship as well, Faye,” Monara said. “I enjoy teaching you about my world and people, and perhaps our relationship will inspire others to befriend new neighbours.”

Faye had to look back to the cocoon, trying not to think about the word Monara had used. The excitement she had for her meetings with Monara, even in the moments before they reunited…wasn’t it for the taste of magic that Monara’s knowledge gave her? The glimpses into something beyond her plain, boring life?

“Now,” Monara said, “would you like something to eat?”

“Something to eat?” What exactly did Monara keep in her kitchen? “What do you have?”

“Would you like a fruit salad?”

“Sure, that sounds good!”

“Then I will begin preparing it.” Monara headed out of the bedroom, and Faye took one last look at the cocoon before following.

Standing by the doorway of the kitchen, Faye watched Monara take several fruits out of her refrigerator and off of the counter. “Need a hand?” Faye asked.

Monara turned to Faye. “Do you mean…do I need help? I am fine, Faye, but thank you for your offer.” Maybe the phrase Faye had used wasn’t the best when speaking to a four-armed person.

Taking a knife, Monara peeled and sliced up apples, oranges, bananas, and kiwis. Every few cuts, she picked up a piece of fruit with one of her spare hands and put it in her mouth. Faye even noticed her eating bits of orange and kiwi skin. Once the fruits were diced, Monara plucked grapes off of a bunch and mixed them into the bowl.

The chrysidean returned to the fridge, taking out a bottle. Faye’s eyes narrowed on the label, a sinking feeling forming in her stomach. “Ranch dressing?”

“It is salad dressing,” Monara said, taking off of the cap. “This is my favourite salad dressing for fruit salad.”

The prospect didn’t please Faye, but she didn’t want to criticize Monara’s tastes. Monara drizzled the ranch over the top of the salad, then gave the bowl another brisk shake. She divided the fruit salad into two smaller bowls, then took each bowl in one pair of hands and headed into the living room.

Faye sat down as Monara placed down the bowls of fruit salad. Faye stared at the ranch-slick fruit before her. Before she could ask if Monara had forks, she watched Monara take a piece of apple out with her fingers. Her concern dismissed, Faye took a piece of kiwi. The dollop of ranch on it kindled a new concern. She didn’t want to hurt Monara’s feelings, but…

Taking a quick breath, Faye plunged the fruit into her mouth. She chewed once, twice, the juice of the kiwi mingling with the ranch flavours…

“Do humans prefer a different salad dressing with their fruit salad?” Monara asked.

Faye managed to swallow down her mouthful. “Well, fruit salad usually has…different dressings. Ranch usually goes with vegetables.”

“I did not know that. I enjoy fruit salad with ranch dressing, but I apologize if it is not to human tastes.”

“Hey, it’s…not as bad as I thought it’d be.” Faye forced a chuckle, trying a grape next. That one… _did_ turn out to be as bad as she thought it would be.

“I apologize, Faye.”

“It’s…no problem,” Faye said. She decided to just wipe the ranch off on the side of the bowl. It helped, sort of.

As the two of them ate, Faye watched Monara eat. She seemed to alternate between all four of her hands, plucking fruits at random. Just as Faye had noticed before, Monara didn’t seem to chew or swallow. Maybe it had to do with chrysidean digestion…or maybe “magic” could sum it up.

When Monara finished her fruit salad, Faye was only halfway through her own. “You must have other Outsiders over, right?” Faye asked. “What kind of foods do they eat?”

“Not all of them consume human food. For those who do, the fruits and vegetables I eat are fine for them. Some of them may have other preferences. My friend Cerua, whom you met, enjoys sushi.”

Cerua…the cnidarian? A jellyfish-person eating sushi? “Do you know if there’s any kind of food you can’t eat? That would make you sick if you ate it?”

“None I am aware of. I have never been unwell from eating human food.”

“Well…” The thought lingered on her tongue, like the mingling aftertastes of fruit and ranch, but Faye needed a second to get it out. She could only hope the aftertastes would follow just as quickly. “…maybe, one of these days, you could come over to my apartment. I could make you something.”

“That would be wonderful, Faye. What do you have in mind?”

Faye couldn’t call herself much of a chef, though her cooking was fine by her. “I’ll think of something. Something with plenty of fruits and vegetables.”

“Whatever you make, I am sure I will enjoy it. Yes, I would love to visit your home and share a meal with you.”

“Then…” The words _it’s a date_ almost escaped Faye’s mouth, but she quickly changed her mind. “—wonderful.”

As she continued eating her fruit salad, Caitlyn’s request sprang back into her mind. She hadn’t talked to Cait about it yet, didn’t know if Elia had gone over it with her again. Maybe they were discussing it now, if Cait had invited Elia over. Was now the best time to bring it up with Monara? No one would overhear them.

“Is something wrong, Faye?” Monara asked. “You do not have to continue eating it if it is not to your taste.”

Faye looked over to Monara. Taking a deep breath, she said, “Monara, a friend of mine asked me something. It’s a bit…awkward.”

Monara leaned closer, her lower arms resting upon the table. “What is it?”

She just hoped Monara would understand. “Monara, a friend of mine has…a fear of Outsiders, after their invasion five years ago. She knows the Outsiders here in our world today aren’t the same ones who wanted to harm humans, but she still gets terrified at the sight of them.”

Lowering all four hands to her lap, Monara said, “I see.”

Was emotional trauma a concept Outsiders understood? Could Outsiders suffer such a thing? “It’s really complicated. I know, this is awkward and it’s someone you don’t even know…”

“Please continue, Faye.”

Faye needed a deep breath to calm her own anxiety. “My friend wanted to meet with an Outsider, so she can make herself realize that nothing will happen. And she figured if it was an Outsider one of her friends trusted…”

“You are asking me to help your friend.”

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to, or aren’t sure about this.” Faye shook her head, unable to look to Monara. “Look, I’m sorry I brought it up now…”

“I do not think you should be sorry. I will try to help.”

“Are you sure, Monara?”

“Faye, I want our peoples to be able to live together. I can understand that many still remember what the people of my world have done to yours. I know you are trying to help your friend, and I think that is a kind and noble thought.”

Faye felt an odd little flutter inside. “Thank you, Monara. I’ll have to talk to her, set things up, and I’ll let you know when everything’s ready.”

“Very well, Faye.”

Even if Monara was alright with it, Faye still felt a bit of regret over bringing it up. What if it ended up being awkward or embarrassing? And…and what if Elia and Cait made assumptions about her and Monara?

While her attention was divided, she ate a piece of orange without wiping off the ranch first. The cacophony of flavours widened her eyes and forced a hand to her mouth just in case. Monara reached forward and took the bowl from her. “You do not need to keep eating it,” she said with a smile. “I guess my tastes are very different from a human’s.”

Clearing her throat and trying to ignore the flavours still in her mouth, Faye said, “Well, I’m sure there’s some human out there who likes it. People have different tastes.”

Monara took her own bowl as well and rose from her cushion. As she went into the kitchen, Faye watched her wings move with each step, her magnificent silk gown flowing along with her.

Nothing was different, despite what Faye had learned about Monara. Being chrysidean royalty didn’t make their friendship feel any different. Faye hoped it’d remain that way, that Monara wouldn’t regret letting Faye know her secret.

But Faye still kept her own secret.

Monara would have loved to know. She’d ask about Faye’s magic, her fellow heroines, how she managed her “real” life along with her secret life. She’d probably want to know how Faye and her friends finally came to confront and defeat the mastermind of the invasion. Monara would be overflowing with curiosity, just as Faye was so often in her company.

After rinsing off the bowls, Monara returned, sitting down across from Faye. She could have told Monara. She could have _shown_ her, right then and there. Maybe she’d need a moment to do it, but Faye knew that it was something she’d never forget how to do.

“So,” Monara asked, “is there anything you would like to discuss?”

Faye’s lips parted, but she already knew she’d never bring herself to say it. Monara would be meeting her friends. If Monara knew Faye was one of the heroines who’d saved humankind, would she assume Faye’s closest friends were as well? Maybe Faye could trust Monara with her secret, but her friends trusted her to keep their secrets.

Glancing to the tapestries behind her, Faye asked, “So, what are those creatures like?”


	15. Apologies

The sun was setting by the time Faye left Monara’s apartment. Monara escorted her to the front door, seeing her off with a smile in the lobby. As Faye walked out, she glanced over to the doorman, someone different from earlier. The man there met her stare for a moment, then looked away.

Rather than debating what to make herself for dinner, Faye stopped at a fast-food restaurant and bought a chicken-sandwich meal combo. The lettuce would probably be terrible, but it’d be tasty, filling, and she probably wouldn’t think about how unhealthy it was.

When Faye returned to her apartment, the plain walls, the simple and ordinary furniture, not even a big fancy television… Melancholy sank in as she remembered the many decorations in Monara’s home, the many questions she’d had about them. Her apartment had a better view than Monara, perhaps…

Sighing, Faye kicked off her shoes and sat down on the couch. Her chicken sandwich had gotten cold, but it was still yummy. The lettuce was alright, even. She didn’t get herself treats like this nearly enough. Maybe that was part of the problem with her life.

Once she finished her dinner, Faye turned on the television and checked her phone. No missed calls or text messages she hadn’t noticed. Had Cait been fine today? As she prepared to send Elia a message, her stomach twitched at the thought of what Elia had told Holly. Sighing, Faye shook her head and dismissed her spite; she didn’t need to grow distant from another one of her fellow heroines. She sent to Elia, _Did Cait invite you over today?_

While Faye half-paid attention to whatever show was on, her phone vibrated. _Yes,_ Elia’s message read. _Everything went fine. How was your day?_

She thought about mentioning Monara, but decided against it. _Yeah, today was good._

A few minutes passed before Elia texted back. _Did you talk to Monara about Cait yet?_

Butterflies started to flutter. _I did, last time I spoke with her. She said she’d help. Did you talk about it with Cait?_

_I didn’t want to bring it up with her date tomorrow. Will you let her know later this week?_

Faye closed her eyes. Was Caitlyn really ready for this? _I will._

 _Ok._ A few seconds later, Elia followed with, _Were you with Monara today?_

She didn’t see any point in lying…nor any necessity in telling the full story. _Yes. Just the usual._

As much as she hoped that would be that, Elia replied, _Any more dates planned?_

 _It wasn’t a date,_ Faye immediately replied, realizing once she hit Send that perhaps her quick denial would only encourage further comments like that.

 _Didn’t mean it like that,_ Elia replied. _Unless maybe you do like her like that? ;)_

Faye paused. She did feel so more excited and happy whenever she was around Monara. Everything about her was fascinating. And she’d looked so magnificent today…

Giving her head a quick shake, Faye answered, _Cut it out, Elia._

_Sorry. :P_

She just hoped Elia meant she was sorry for the insinuation, rather than perceived embarrassment.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

For most of Sunday, Faye watched television and shared the occasional text with Elia and a few work friends. Neither Faye nor Elia had met Scott yet; they wondered what he was like, what Caitlyn liked about him, how jealous Puplyn would be.

After her spaghetti dinner and the evening news, Faye wondered if Cait’s date had ended by now. Hoping she wouldn’t be interrupting, Faye texted Caitlyn, _How did the date go?_

Her response came only a minute later; Faye knew that Scott must have already left before she read the message. _Very well, had a really fun time._

That was a relief. Did Faye dare ask about it now? Would she be ruining Caitlyn’s happiness? While she mulled it over, her phone started to ring, and a glance at the screen confirmed Faye’s guess. “Hey, Cait!” Faye said as she answered. “So, had a good time?”

“ _Yes, Faye. We had fun. We made pizza together and watched some movies. I think Puplyn likes Scott, too._ ”

“And that’s the most important part, huh?” That got a laugh out of Caitlyn. “I’m glad you enjoyed your date. Did you…have something you wanted to talk about?”

“ _Yes…yes, there was, Faye._ ” The way her voice dampened word by word told Faye exactly what Cait had to talk about. “ _Elia…told me that you had an Outsider friend you really liked…_ ”

Had it not been for the timid tone, Faye would have assumed that Cait was teasing her by her choice of words. “Well, yeah. We’re good friends.”

“ _I’m…I’m happy to hear that…_ ”

Her voice didn’t sound happy at all. “Caitlyn,” Faye said, “Elia mentioned to me that you wanted to meet Monara.”

A few seconds of heavy breathing came before a response. “ _Yes._ ”

“Cait, are you sure you’re comfortable with this?”

“ _I have to be, Faye! I have to. I can’t keep treating Outsiders like they’re all monsters._ ”

“You don’t, and you know that.”

“ _I wouldn’t be terrified of them if I didn’t, Faye. They’re not monsters, and I just can’t make myself realize that…_ ”

Faye held the phone away from her so Cait wouldn’t hear her sigh. “Cait, you didn’t think they were monsters back then, the ones who helped us stop the invasion.” Sure, Caitlyn had been uncertain when several Outsiders sought them out, including some they’d confronted and thwarted prior, not to fight the heroines but to ask them only to listen. But after their meeting, Caitlyn had believed them. She hadn’t seemed scared of their presence that day, or the day those Outsiders helped them enter their world. Or had she been secretly struggling with that terror ever since her first encounter with an Outsider?

Cait’s breathing continued for a while longer. “ _Faye…did you say anything to your friend?_ ”

“I asked her if she would be willing to meet you. I didn’t tell her anything about you.”

“ _Oh…okay. Thank you. What did she say?_ ”

“She said she wanted to help.”

“ _She did? Did…did she say when?_ ”

“I told her that I’d figure out when.”

“ _Would…would next Sunday be fine for her?_ ”

“I’ll ask her. I’ll let you know what she says.”

“ _Thank you…thank you._ ”

“It’s…alright.” Faye almost said that it wasn’t a problem, but she didn’t yet believe it wouldn’t be one in the end.

“ _What…what does she look like?_ ”

“Hm?”

“ _Your Outsider friend…what does she look like?_ ”

Maybe Caitlyn would prod her about it, but Faye knew letting her know what she’d be seeing would make her more comfortable when they met in person. “Monara’s a chrysidean. She’s butterfly-like…beautiful wings upon her back, four arms, fur over most of her body. Big sort-of-buggy eyes, silk clothing.” Faye thought about assuring Cait that they hadn’t seen chrysideans in the past, but perhaps bringing up the past wouldn’t help.

“ _She’s…a butterfly-woman?_ ” Cait’s voice sounded a bit lighter.

“Yes.”

A small sound squeaked out—was it a giggle? “ _I’m not surprised you’ve become so smitten with a butterfly-woman…_ ”

Faye almost said something dismissive, but couldn’t deny what Cait said. No other Outsider she’d seen in Garden City had piqued Faye’s interest and curiosity like Monara had. She’d been struck by Monara the moment she saw her wings; would she have been as fascinated with Monara’s people and culture if not for her appearance?

“ _Faye? I wasn’t really serious…_ ”

“Oh, it’s okay,” Faye replied, pretending to chuckle. “I’ve heard it all from Elia.”

“ _Okay, Faye. Thank you. Please let me know when would be a good time for Monara. Please thank her for me, and tell her that I’m sorry if I’m an inconvenience._ ”

“I’ll tell her. Don’t worry about it, Cait.”

A few silent seconds passed. “ _Bye, Faye._ ”

“Bye, Cait.”

Faye put her phone down. She’d had the _monster_ talk with Caitlyn all too many times, but it never helped. What could she say? She wasn’t a psychologist, and no matter how she knew that was what Caitlyn needed, her friend would never agree to see one.

Maybe if meeting with Monara worked out, Faye and Elia could convince her. Or maybe if it went badly, that would convince her.

But everything about it still seemed like a bad idea.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

Monday dragged on as usual, each clack of Faye’s keyboard like a clock that ticked far too slowly. Her eyes kept wandering away from her work to the corner of her screen, checking the time. Lunch inched closer and closer, but even that was merely an intermission. Maybe she did need to find herself a better job…

“Miss Brice?”

Faye’s head jolted up at the sound of her boss’s voice. “Ms. Drewe?” she asked, spinning around in her chair.

Ms. Drewe stood there with her arms crossed. “Miss Brice, may I have a word with you in my office?”

With a cold feeling flooding her stomach, Faye said, “Sure…”

She rose from her seat and followed Ms. Drewe into her office. Sitting opposite of her boss’s desk, Faye asked, “Is something wrong?”

“Indeed,” Ms. Drewe said. “One of our clients reported several discrepancies with their figures, and it seems to be due to several databases you were working on, Miss Brice.”

So she’d screwed up somewhere. “Oh, I’m sorry. I must have missed a mistake.”

“I’ve noticed your productivity has fallen over the past several weeks, Miss Brice. Is something affecting your ability to work, a medical or personal issue?”

It wasn’t an issue, or at least shouldn’t have been. Her mind often wandered, reflecting on her meetings with Monara rather than focusing on her work. Her pace had slowed as of late, she realized now, though it had seemed like her entire work day had grown sluggish instead.

“No, I’m fine,” Faye said, shaking her head, unable to keep eye contact with her boss. “I’m sorry I’ve been slipping up lately. I’ll keep myself focused and work harder.”

She felt Ms. Drewe’s stare, but still couldn’t look at her boss directly. “Please do, Miss Brice. You’ve been a fine employee in the past, and I hope you can maintain the standard you’ve set for yourself.”

“Of course. I’m sorry, Ms. Drewe.” Faye rose and quickly returned to her own desk. She did a quick double-check on her spreadsheet, finding several errors. She always looked over her work, but she’d made more mistakes here than she usually did.

She couldn’t even muster the energy to sigh. Faye tried her best to clear her mind of distractions. There was plenty of time in the day to think about Monara and everything the two of them shared with each other. Time she didn’t have anything better to do, anyway.

Her time now was supposed to be for work. For slogging through the day for her week’s pay, saving up for the privilege of college, all so she could have a decent job that she’d hopefully enjoy.

And until then, she’d just have to put up with data entry until she’d saved enough for college. Finding something new with a decent pay would take too much effort.

She didn’t really have any choice.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

The timing of her meetings with Monara proved convenient for relaying the plans for her meeting with Caitlyn. When Faye met her on Tuesday morning, she passed on Cait’s suggested date of Sunday. “That is fine,” Monara said. “I will be available on Sunday.”

“Thank you, Monara,” Faye said. “I’ll let her know, and on Thursday, I’ll tell you where and when.”

They talked about chrysidean weaving for several more minutes, until Faye realized she would be late for work if she didn’t hurry. She rarely brought up her work with Monara, doubting the boring details of her job would interest the chrysidean.

After another slow work day, Faye texted Caitlyn after the evening news. _Monara is fine with Sunday. What time, and where?_

Half an hour passed before Cait replied. Whether she was busy or uneasy, Faye had no way of knowing. _Two o’clock is good. Is your place fine?_

 _Yeah. I’ll let Monara know,_ Faye texted. While some dull crime drama started after the news, Faye pondered how best to arrange their meeting. Should she have Monara be there before Cait? Or should Caitlyn come first? What about Elia? Faye texted her as well, letting her know the details. Elia didn’t respond immediately, but Faye knew she’d answer in time.

It’d be best to let Caitlyn get comfortable, to ask any questions she needed to before Monara arrived. Faye settled on that plan—she’d ask Monara to come a bit later, after Cait and Elia had arrived.

Was that the best plan? Faye wished that she didn’t have to wonder. Maybe if her and Elia had been more assertive, Cait might have seen a proper therapist long ago. If she knew it was what her friends really wanted, if she knew they trusted her not to let any of their secrets slip…

If only Holly and Lyris were around to help convince Cait of what she really needed…

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

As she climbed the stairs of her apartment building on Wednesday, Faye contemplated a nice nap. She’d woken up half an hour before her usual alarm, on a day she didn’t even meet with Monara. Perhaps just a quick tuna sandwich beforehand…

When she stepped out into the seventh floor hallway, Faye’s eyes widened at the sight of a duneyrr at her door, clad in what looked like leather. Could it have been the same one who’d shown up in the morning earlier in the month? Watching the duneyrr knock every few seconds, Faye felt her stomach twist. How long had he been there? Did he not realize no one was home, or dd he have a reason to stay put until she answered? What would her neighbours think, seeing an impatient Outsider at her door?

The duneyrr continued to strike upon her door, his stare frozen before him. She could have walked away, and he wouldn’t notice. Would he eventually leave? Would he figure out she wasn’t there? If he knew she was watching him now, would he even give her the chance to leave?

If it was something serious, ignoring it wasn’t going to make it go away. Running would only make it seem more suspicious. Taking a deep breath, her pulse pounding with each step, Faye walked towards her apartment. The duneyrr still kept knocking, not noticing her approach, so she said aloud, “E-excuse me?”

Turning his head, the duneyrr said, “Are you Faye Brice?”

His stare and tone didn’t seem angered or fierce. Perhaps that was a good sign? “Yes,” Faye replied, her hands together behind her back. “Is something wrong?”

The duneyrr shuffled himself around, facing his entire body towards Faye. Lowering his head as if he were staring at her feet, the duneyrr said, “On behalf of the Guardant and the Helfeirch, I wish to express our most sincere apologies for my past interruption.”

Apologies? “For… Um, okay?”

“We regret any distress that my previous visit caused you, as well as the interruption at an unsuitable time of day. On behalf of the Guardant, we assure you that you and your chrysidean friend are not under suspicion of any sort. We hope that this has not dissuaded you from associating with other Outsiders.”

So…it was exactly the opposite of Faye’s worst fear. “Okay,” she said, still feeling cold to her core. “Well…thank you.” As tempted as she was to ask why she’d been questioned in the first place, was the duneyrr allowed to answer that?

Raising his upper body upright, the duneyrr said, “I thank you for your understanding. Farewell, human.”

Faye stepped aside, allowing the duneyrr to pass. He stopped, turning his upper body and head to look behind him. “I must thank you very much for introducing me to elevators,” he said. “Climbing human staircases was difficult for me, but now that I understand your elevators, my duties are much easier.”

“You’re welcome.” Faye glanced down to his six legs. “Um…I’m sorry if you’re busy or if I’m being nosy, but can I ask you a question about your people?”

The duneyrr turned his body around a bit more. “You may.”

“I’ve always wondered, with how many legs your people have, how quickly can duneyrr run?”

“That is something we are asked often,” the duneyrr said, with an odd lift of his lips that looked like an attempt at a smile. “The truth is that we are not as agile and swift as some humans believe. Our many legs grant us an advantage in that we are rarely hindered if one leg sustains injury.”

“I see.” Was that some sort of evolution at work, or had magic made them like that? “Well, thank you.”

“The same to you.” The duneyrr turned away and trotted towards the elevator.

Faye headed into her apartment, closing the door behind her with a sigh. It didn’t sound as relieved as she’d expected. Perhaps there was some comfort in hearing that the Guardant wasn’t suspicious of her and Monara…but had they been in the first place? Or was it just a misunderstanding? Surely sending their equivalent of the police was an odd choice just to ask about their friendship…

She sighed again, and tried to force it out of her mind. After all, it wasn’t like this week had give her any shortage of things to concern her.


	16. Escape

As usual, Faye’s Thursday truly began once she sat down with Monara at the Fireside. “Good morning,” Faye said.

“Good morning, Faye. How are you?”

“I’m fine, fine. By the way, I got in touch with my friend Caitlyn yesterday. Sunday’s good for her. Would around two at my apartment be fine with you?”

“Yes, that is fine.”

“Perfect. Thanks, Monara.” Her doubts about the entire endeavour still lingered, but at least everything was set. “Just…”

“Yes, Faye?” asked Monara.

More likely than not, this wasn’t going to end well. “Monara…my friend’s a very kind person, and I hope she doesn’t come across as anything different. Just, in advance…”

“Faye, do not be concerned. I will be understanding to your friend.”

And it wasn’t just Caitlyn’s reaction that Faye was worried about. “My friends will probably have questions about you and me.” Faye paused after that last part. “I promise I haven’t told them your secret. I don’t think they’ll be too nosy.”

“I would welcome their curiosity. After all, it is how our relationship began.”

Why couldn’t Monara just use the word _friendship_? What if she used that word in front of Elia and Caitlyn? “Okay. Again, thanks a lot for this. I really appreciate your help.”

“You are welcome, Faye.”

As Monara took a drink of her coffee/hot-chocolate, Faye recalled a promise she’d made the Saturday before. “Monara,” she said, “do you have plans on Saturday?”

Finishing her sip, Monara said, “No, I do not. Why?”

“I said I’d invite you over to my place, right? Would you want to come over on Saturday? I’ll make you something nice for lunch.”

Monara smiled, but her antennae perking up seemed a more genuine display of emotion. “Faye, that would be wonderful. Yes, thank you.”

“Alright, then! Is there anything you’ve heard of that you’d like to try?”

“I would like to see what you make. I am sure I will enjoy it.”

Though Faye still had no idea what she’d make for Monara, she smiled and nodded. “I’ll try my best, then. Around noon is good for you?”

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

Over the rest of Thursday and Friday, concerns about both her dinner and Monara’s meeting with Caitlyn danced through her mind. She’d shared her fears about the latter with Elia, dreading the reaction she’d get if she mentioned the former. As much as Faye and Elia knew the worst-case scenario, everything was set in stone now.

Her thoughts about Monara coming over grew more and more frequent, even competing with her attention during work on Friday. She’d searched for recipes on Thursday evening, and found something that seemed too simple to mess up yet fancy enough to impress. Hopefully, Monara would like mushrooms.

After her work week came to an end, Faye stopped at an organic grocery store to buy the ingredients. Monara had said that fresher food was more nourishing for her—maybe organic was better, too. Thankfully, all she needed was mushrooms, pasta, and a bit of parmesan cheese, so it wasn’t too expensive.

From the moment Faye woke up on Saturday, she hurried around her apartment, straightening and tidying everything. She did the dishes, brushed lint off of the furniture, and wiped off the coffee table and television. She even cleaned the bathroom, despite her doubts about whether Outsiders even needed to use the toilet. The few moments she stopped to catch her breath reminded her of how fascinating the art and furnishings were in Monara’s apartment…and how dull her own home was in comparison. Surely Monara would notice. She wouldn’t say anything, but she wouldn’t be impressed by Faye’s home.

Nine minutes past eleven, Faye heard soft rapping upon her door. Jumping off of the couch, Faye hurried over, opening the door to find Monara outside. She froze up, not at the sight of Monara’s wings but her clothing. Rather than a dress or elegant gown, her silk garments today were a blouse with elbow-length sleeves and pants. Faye’s own attire was her nice white blouse and tan slacks, making her clothing…almost identical to Monara’s. “Hey…Monara,” Faye said, smiling.

“Hello, Faye,” Monara said. Her wings closed inward as she stepped into Faye’s apartment.

Looking over Monara’s clothing, Faye felt a smile grow over her lips. Where _could_ she have gotten the inspiration for such an outfit? Closing the door after Monara, she said, “I hope my couch is wide enough for your wings.”

“It will be fine,” Monara said, glancing around Faye’s living room. “You keep a very tidy home, Faye.”

“Yeah, I guess.” It wouldn’t have been meant as anything but a compliment, but it sure didn’t feel like one. She walked over, wondering what was on the television. It looked like a soap opera. “You don’t have a television in your home, do you?”

“I do not.” Monara lowered herself onto Faye’s couch. “A mycorrh neighbour of mine has a television. Sometimes I join them when they are here in your world, but I do prefer reading your people’s books.”

“A mycorrh?”

“They are Outsiders of a fungal nature. They form bonds with plant life, and plants flourish in their presence. Perhaps one day I could ask Pleuro to show you his home here. Many plants fill his home, and his bond with them has made them grow all over his residence.”

She imagined an apartment like Monara’s, but every wall coated in flowering moss, vines and roots covering the floor, shrubs and large beautiful flowers all over. Faye couldn’t picture a mycorrh in her head, though perhaps one of the plant-like Outsiders her and her friends had faced in the past had been one.

With Monara’s wings taking up all of the room on the couch, Faye sat down in the armchair. “Would you like anything to drink? I don’t have coffee, but I have water, juice, cola, milk…”

“Milk, please.”

After Faye brought her a glass of milk and Monara gave her thanks, Faye asked, “Whenever you’re ready to eat is fine with me. Let me know when.”

“Whenever you are ready is fine with me, Faye.”

“How about now?”

“That would be fine, yes.”

Faye pulled her laptop out from beneath the coffee table. “Do you prepare food with that?” asked Monara.

Unable to keep herself from smiling, Faye said, “Oh, no. This isn’t for cooking. But I found a nice recipe online and it’s saved on here.” She’d discussed the internet with Monara in the past, and Monara seemed to understand the idea.

Setting the laptop on the counter, Faye took out the mushroom, milk, garlic, and butter. As she began to chop up the garlic, she noticed Monara out of the corner of her eye, standing by the kitchen. “Is there anything I could help with?” Monara asked.

Perhaps it was odd to let her guest help with the meal, but if Monara wanted to, Faye didn’t mind. “Sure. Can you chop up these mushrooms for me?”

“Yes, I can.” Faye handed Monara a knife, then tossed the butter and chopped garlic into a saucepan.

As the butter started to sizzle, Faye checked on Monara just in time to see her slip a piece of mushroom into her mouth. She worked quickly, slicing through the mushrooms. They weren’t the most evenly-sized, but Faye didn’t care.

Monara stepped back, waiting with her hands together as the mushroom cooked. The air filled with garlicky fragrance, an overpowering aroma that made Faye wonder if any of her windows were open. “Do you like garlic, Monara?”

“The smell is pleasant.”

With frequent checks of the recipe instructions, Faye finished cooking the mushrooms, then dumped them into a bowl. She started next on the cream sauce and putting the spaghetti on to boil. Each time she glanced to Monara, the chrysidean stood leaning upon the counter next to Faye, watching with perked antennae.

Once the sauce was simmering and the pasta was _al dente_ , Faye drained the pasta and combined everything together in a large bowl. Putting some on two plates, Faye grated some parmesan onto each serving. “And that’s it!” she said with a smile.

“It smells lovely, Faye,” Monara said. She took her plate, then returned to the couch. Faye sat down in her armchair, her plate in her lap as she watched Monara take her first “bite”—she twirled some of the pasta around her fork, slipped it into her mouth, then used the edge of the fork to push in a loose strand or two. It was delicious…and made Faye wish she’d tried the recipe sooner.

After a few seconds, unsure if Monara was finished…whatever she did that wasn’t chewing…Faye said, “So, how is it?”

“It is lovely, Faye,” Monara said, twirling up more pasta before stabbing a piece of mushroom. “Thank you for this meal.”

“You’re welcome.” Part of Faye had thought that she should have picked something more exquisite, more exciting. But that would have meant an easier meal to ruin and, as Faye took a bite for herself, it was indeed lovely.

Both of them ate for a bit, neither looking to whatever was on the television. Monara set her fork down, a sound that Faye noticed over the voices on the show. “I was wondering about your family, Faye,” Monara said. “Do they live nearby?”

Faye shook her head while she chewed. “Not downtown. My dad lives in the suburbs. The part of the city that isn’t as busy or tall. That’s where I used to live, before I came here.”

“What about your mother?”

“Well…she passed away four years ago.” In the hospital, as her mother laid on her bed, Faye had tried to work up the courage to tell her everything. To let her know the truth before she went. To explain what had happened the year before that had resulted in her grades and school attendance slipping. But her mother had interrupted her, telling Faye how proud she was for how smart and sweet her daughter was. After…afterwards, Faye had remembered that there were cameras in the hospital room. If she had told her mother, even if they’d seemingly been alone…someone might have overheard.

“I am sorry to hear that,” Monara replied. “My father died before I was born. While my mother had her duties to attend to, she always made time to raise me.”

Faye nodded. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d talked her dad, she realized with a pang of guilt. Maybe he’d been busy, and her mind had been occupied as of late…

They continued eating in silence, Monara finishing just before Faye did. Faye brought both of their plates into the kitchen, rinsing them off before returning to her armchair. “I’m glad you enjoyed lunch,” Faye said. “I figured I’d try something special.”

“I appreciated it very much. I would love to try other meals that you enjoy.”

With a shrug, Faye said, “Maybe. To be honest, I don’t really make myself fancy stuff like that often. I’m usually a bit too worn-out after work to bother.”

“Is your work that tiring?”

Shaking her head, Faye said, “No, it’s just…repetitive. Monotonous. Boring, really.”

“But you do need to work for your money.”

“Exactly.” Faye sighed, leaning back in her chair and closing her eyes. Monara must have found her home so dreary, so drab. The beautiful chrysidean stood out from the blandness of the place she now sat in.

“Is something wrong, Faye?”

Racking her mind, Faye tried to invent an excuse for the feelings of ennui that her normal routine evoked. “It’s just…dull sometimes. It gets to me.”

“Perhaps we should discuss something else, then. I have heard that your scientists have found a use for chrysidean silk as bandages.”

“Silk bandages?” Faye opened her eyes again, and sat up in her seat. “Any particular reason why?”

“They explained that it was effective for stopping bleeding, as the silk binds to wounded human skin. It is said to cause a curious delirium when the injury heals, so they are studying how to treat that effect.”

Faye closed her eyes, picturing the cocoon in Monara’s home. She’d said its magic allowed a chrysidean to heal from even severe injury. Was it that surprising that the restorative power of her silk could affect humans, too? After all, that sylphid had been able to heal that fallen bicyclist, that day she’d first met Monara…

When her eyes returned to Monara, the vivid beauty of her wings seemed even brighter against the backdrop; Faye’s apartment in turn felt greyer and duller. Was that all her friendship with Monara was? An escape from her boring, mundane life?

The thought was like a weight upon her shoulders that pushed her down into her armchair. Sighing, Faye asked, “Monara…am I a bother with my questions? When we first met, or now…”

“I do not understand.”

“With all of the times we met, all of the things I wanted to know, even when we didn’t know each other that well…did I annoy you with my questions?”

Monara leaned forward. “No, Faye. I enjoyed your curiosity, and you were happy to share knowledge of your world with me. I enjoy my time with you, Faye. I truly do.”

The statement could have sounded romantic, had it not been spoken in Monara’s usual near-monotone. Did she enjoy Faye’s company for Faye herself? Or was her passion more for learning more about Faye’s world?

And…what about herself? Was that excitement and anticipation for her mornings with Monara just because she was a window into that world Faye longed to know more about? That splash of magic in the normal life she now had to live? Did her time with Monara only elate her so because it wasn’t her normal life?

Monara rose from her seat. “Faye, please let me know what is on your mind.”

What was on her mind was a selfish feeling that she had been _using_ Monara, only caring about that glimpse into the world of magic and Outsiders. She knew that wasn’t the case—this whole darn lunch was proof of that—yet that was how they’d became friends in the first place.

The deep sigh she let out seemed to rise from the darkest pit of her soul. “Monara…I really like spending time with you, because I can learn so much about your world and all of the amazing things in it, that come from your world. Meanwhile, I have a boring job, a dull home…” Faye gestured around her with one hand. “I’m not saying that I don’t enjoy your company, because I really, really do, Monara. It’s just…”

As she tried to figure out how to say it without saying too much, Monara drew closer, resting one hand on the armrest of Faye’s chair. “You wish you could see it all with your own eyes.”

Faye nodded. “Yeah…I just wish…” The secret that involved her friends would never leave her lips, and yet what was about to admit felt like a much greater concealed truth than even that. “…sometimes I wish I could be _part_ of your world, instead of just hearing about it…”

Another sigh escaped Faye’s throat. She’d managed to turn a nice lunch into a mopefest. She should have just kept her mouth shut, kept her focus on Monara and her unending curiosity about the Outsider world. It was probably far too late to change the subject now, too late to salvage their lunch date.

Faye rose to her feet.

“Faye,” Monara said.

She would have ignored Monara, if not for the rough fingers that took hold of her own hands. When her eyes returned to Monara, she saw those feathery antennae drooping to the sides.

“Faye…” Monara said, pausing for a prolonged period, “that may be possible.”

Butterflies flooded into Faye’s stomach. Raising an eyebrow, Faye said, “W-what do you mean, Monara?”

Monara laced the fingers of her upper pair of hands together, while her lower pair continued to hold Faye’s hands. “After you asked about whether a human and a chrysidean could bear a child together, I was curious of such a thought myself, and inquired with my mother. Though she was skeptical of such, she voiced her belief that the human could first become one of our kind within a cocoon.”

“That’s…that sounds impossible,” Faye said, her voice not sounding convinced at all to herself. After all, that had been the Empress’s plot all along—to convert all of humankind into beings of her world, whether they wanted it or not. A human becoming an Outsider…it _had_ to be possible, then. Somehow.

“Those of my world can become transformed into chrysideans themselves through our cocoons, if they desire to live among us, as one of us. However…” Monara’s antennae splayed, trembling slightly. “My mother believes that if a human was to undergo this transformation, it would be irreversible.”

The feeling in Faye’s stomach was somewhere between butterflies and a black hole, or maybe somehow both at once. After she’d first shifted, had first fought an Outsider with Holly, her mind had soon turned to how she changed _back_. The outfit her clothes had transformed into, the shade of orange her hair had become, all of it dazzled Faye—but as amazed as she was, she still wanted to know that she could go back to _herself_ again. A permanent change, into a being completely unlike her human self…

Her eyes closed. Shaking her head slowly, Faye said, “I…I…I don’t know…”

Monara let go of her hands, then took a step back. “Faye, I would not want you to make such a decision lightly. I understand it is no simple choice, and if you do not wish to leave behind your human life, that is the choice you should make. I promise you that I will remain your friend, regardless of what you wish for yourself.”

“I…I…” Faye closed her eyes, thinking about what it would all be like. How could she even imagine that? How could someone who had lived their entire life as a human adapt to becoming something so different? “I…I’d need to think about it, of course.”

“Please do, Faye,” Monara said, approaching once more. “I do not wish to convince you to make either choice. I want you to decide what you want.”

Monara certainly wouldn’t want to pressure her, or at least Faye believed so. But just knowing this was possible was a heavy burden in of itself.

With a clearly-forced smile upon her face, Monara said, “Faye, thank you again for the meal. I do not wish to be a burden, so I shall be departing now. Thank you for your company these many weeks, my friend. Please, do not worry yourself or hurry to a decision. I do not want you to regret something you could never undo.”

Faye gathered her thoughts enough to follow Monara to the door. “I’ll have to think about it,” she said. “A lot, of course.”

“Please do.” As Monara reached for the door, she turned back and said, “Your friend wishes to meet me tomorrow, correct? At two o’clock in the afternoon?”

“Yeah, Caitlyn.”

“Faye, what I have told you is something you should not tell to anyone else.”

“You…think so?”

“I fear that, with the hostility in the past between our worlds, some may refuse to believe it is a choice you would make of your own will.”

Enough people had been transformed against their will five years ago for Faye to believe that. Yet those transformations had been undone; Faye and her friends had turned those made into monsters back into normal people. Would people believe a permanent transformation was her own choice? “Of course. I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

“Farewell, Faye. Take care. And thank you.”

Monara paused for a second before she turned and left Faye’s apartment. Faye closed the door behind her, waiting a few moments to slump against the nearby wall, sliding down until she was sitting on the floor.

…what would it be like? To see the wonders of the Outsider world, to experience them first-hand, not as one of another world but as one who was part of it? To take flight with her own wings, to have that extra pair of arms, to live a life that didn’t involve the banality of data entry…

…but what would that cost? What would she have to surrender, to leave behind?

Sighing, Faye closed her eyes. It wasn’t a choice, it really wasn’t an option…but still she remained against the wall by her door, with all too many fantasies fluttering through her mind.


	17. Friends

Somehow, Faye drifted off to sleep that night amidst wondering and pondering, without dreaming of wings and cocoons. She woke up later than usual for Sunday, but remained in bed for half an hour more until she felt awake enough to get up.

As she prepared herself for the day ahead, Faye wondered _why_ she’d admitted everything she’d said the evening before. It felt like confessing to Monara that her life was boring, that she _had_ no life. Perhaps that wasn’t quite true—after all, Monara would be meeting her friends today—but her own interpretation of what she’d said was still so embarrassing.

Her friends…what would they think of it? Elia…Elia would probably tell Holly about it, even if all Faye told her was the idea of it. But she’d probably accept it, eventually. Caitlyn? Caitlyn wouldn’t be able to stand her presence, and that’d only make Cait feel worse about herself. Faye couldn’t do that to her…

…but maybe, if today panned out alright…

She shook her head, then continued brushing her teeth. What would happen to her human life, her human possessions, her human job? Would the bank still recognize her as the owner of her account? Would her landlord allow her into her own home? All the time she’d spent at Pathfinder R&D, saving up for the future—would that all go to waste?

Once she was finished in the bathroom, Faye put on her favourite light-blue sweater and a white skirt. Simple, plain clothes…so unlike what she saw most Outsiders wear. If she became a chrysidean…well, all of her clothes only had two arms, not four. Would Monara make Faye clothing for her new body, clothing that fit a person with four arms and magnificent wings? How would she even manage learning how to use her wings and new arms?

There were so many ways that it could all go wrong, and Faye imagined there were countless more than she hadn’t thought of.

Faye checked her phone, hoping to take her mind off of that. No new messages. She decided to call up Cait. After a few rings, her friend answered. “ _Hello, Faye?_ ”

“Hey, Cait,” Faye said. “Are you ready for today?”

After a moment of hesitation, Cait said, “ _As ready as I’ll ever be. Elia spent the night here, we talked about it a lot. I’m…I’m sure I want to do this, Faye._ ”

“Okay, Cait.” It wasn’t as if Faye had any way to reach Monara to cancel. “So you’ll be here around two?”

“ _Yes. Are…are you worried about all of this, Faye?_ ”

Faye didn’t like the idea of lying to her friend, but there was a hint of the confidence in Cait’s voice Faye sorely missed. Almost like mustering the resolve to embark into another world to save one’s own…no matter how she must have felt about it back then. “No, Cait. I have faith in you.”

The prolonged silence that followed suggested to Faye that said confidence might have not been absolute. “ _A-alright, Faye. See you later._ ”

“See you,” Faye said, letting Caitlyn end the call. Setting down her phone, Faye headed into the kitchen to make herself breakfast. Her mind soon turned to the request Monara had made, to not mention a word of what they’d spoken about the day before.

What if something slipped by accident?

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

A few minutes before two, Faye received a text from Elia. _We’re here, heading up._

Faye opened her door, waiting for the two to come out of the elevator. Elia strolled out first, dressed in an aqua-coloured tee and blue jeans. Her hair was the same style it always was, with her bangs covering her right eye. Caitlyn came out next, dressed in her nice grey vest and white blouse combo paired with black pants. Her tawny hair seemed like it had been given some care and attention, but to little avail.

“Hey Cait! Hey, Elia!” Faye said as they approached. “How are you two? Have fun last night?”

“Yes,” Cait said as she and Elia took off their shoes. “We watched some movies. Elia mentioned that the movie Lyris is in is going to be out soon. She’s supposed to be doing an interview with Celsius at Noon after the premiere.”

“She’ll be stopping by Garden City?” Faye said. “Maybe she’ll have a moment to hang out.”

“I sent her an email,” Elia said, “so hopefully we’ll know soon.”

“Hopefully she notices,” Faye replied with a shrug, leading them into her living room. She looked over the available seating. “We’ll have to figure out where everyone will sit…”

“Are Monara’s wings too big for the couch?” Elia asked.

“No,” Faye said, shaking her head. “The couch is just big enough for her.”

A smirk spread over Elia’s face. “And you know that…how?”

Faye tried her best not to blush or to glare. What Holly had said in her call flashed in Faye’s mind. What did Elia really think of her and Monara? “I invited her over yesterday for lunch.”

“A…date?” asked Cait, her smile much more innocent than Elia’s.

Any words Faye could find fizzled out on the tip of her tongue. Elia chuckled and said, “Was it the first time you had her over?”

“Yeah,” Faye said, as Caitlyn sat down on the couch in the meanwhile. “I…wanted to make her something nice, give her a taste of human cuisine.”

“Come on, Faye,” Elia replied, still smiling. “Restaurants exist.”

Shaking her head, Faye said, “Well, she likes fresh food, and restaurants…y’know…” Turning away from Elia’s accusing stare, Faye noticed that Cait’s smile had already vanished. Sitting beside her, Faye said, “Are you sure you’re ready for this, Cait?”

Elia sat down on her other side as Cait answered. “I don’t want to mess this up. I don’t want your friend to feel bad. I’m sorry if I do anything, Faye…”

“Just take it easy, Cait,” Faye said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t think of it as meeting an Outsider. Think of it as meeting a friend of mine. She’s a very nice person, just like you. I’m sure you’ll do fine.”

“Faye’s right,” Elia added, giving Cait’s hand an assuring squeeze. The two of them obviously weren’t more than friends, so why did Faye read so much more into Monara’s hand-holding? “Don’t worry about it. Be yourself, and she’ll be happy to meet you.”

Cait started to breathe heavily, with Faye feeling each heave of her chest. Glancing to Faye, Cait asked, “When will she be here?”

“I asked her to arrive a bit after two. She shouldn’t be long.”

“She doesn’t know about… _us_ , does she?”

Faye quickly shook her head. “Of course not.”

Nodding, Cait lowered her head towards the floor, looking away from her friends. “I feel sick…”

“Just breathe, Cait,” Elia said, patting her hand. “You’ll be fine. No matter what happens, nothing is going to happen.”

Faye checked the time on her phone. Six minutes after two. “Can I get you guys something to drink? Juice, milk, water, cola?”

“Just water, please,” Elia said.

“Some milk…” uttered Cait.

As Faye poured Cait’s milk, she heard a gentle knock upon her door. A squeak-like cry escaped Cait, prompting Faye’s pulse to race. This wasn’t going to end well, this was going to be an embarrassment for all of them…

Faye brought over the drinks, then hurried to the door. “I’ll be back in a second, okay?” she said, taking one last look to her shivering friend before opening the door.

Monara stood there, wearing a simple silk dress. Before the chrysidean could speak a word, Faye stepped outside with her.

While Faye closed the door, Monara asked, “Is something wrong? Is your friend not ready?”

Would Cait _ever_ be ready? “I hope she is,” Faye said. “Are you sure you’re comfortable with this, Monara? I don’t want you to feel bad if anything goes wrong…”

“I have told you several times, Faye,” Monara said, smiling. “I wish to help your friend however I can. I trust what you say of her, and I will try to not frighten her.”

Faye held back a sigh. Even if they all tried their best, would it all work out? “Okay, I’ll introduce you now.”

She opened the door, stepping inside with Monara behind her. Elia held onto Cait’s hand, and Faye saw Cait twitching as her gaze came upon the Outsider behind Faye. Her eyes remained wide, but no frown appeared on her face.

Stepping to the side to let the two of them see Monara in full, Faye said, “Elia, Cait…this is Monara, my chrysidean friend. Monara, these are Caitlyn and Elia, two of my friends.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you,” Monara said, raising one of her hands.

“Hello, Monara,” Elia said with a smile, rising to her feet.

Cait only stared, and Faye felt the butterflies start to dance. After a few seconds, Cait squeaked out, “Hello.”

“Faye’s told us quite a bit about you, Monara,” Elia said. “From the sound of it, she’s heard a lot of fascinating stories from you.”

“And she has shared many fascinating stories with me,” replied Monara. Turning her head to Cait, Monara said, “Would you like me to tell you about my people?”

All Cait could manage was a small nod. Before Monara started, Faye asked her, “Can I get you a drink, Monara? Juice, milk, cola, water?”

“Juice will be fine, Faye. Thank you.”

As Faye headed into the kitchen, she heard Monara speaking about chrysideans and herself. Faye knew it all, but she still listened to every word Monara spoke. Monara spared the obvious secret details of her royal status, but still mentioned that her mother also visited the human world.

When Faye returned with some apple juice, Monara was still talking about chrysideans. Elia looked to her respectfully, while Caitlyn’s eyes rested on a point somewhere near but not quite on Monara. “I am very thankful that we now have peace between our worlds. If it were not for it, I would not have experienced the wonders of the human world, and I would not have met Faye.”

With the topic on herself, Faye glanced to Elia, hoping her friend had no intention of saying anything awkward. Instead, Elia said, “Yes. I’ve met a lot of cnidarians and other Outsiders at my work. We chat often, and share interesting stories about our worlds.”

Elia turned to Caitlyn, who had started to lean against Elia. “Surely there’s something you’d like to know, Cait?” said Elia, nudging her.

“Um…” Cait uttered, looking away from Monara. Her laced hands trembled.

“I will answer what I can,” Monara said. “I shall be patient.”

Caitlyn’s lips parted, but no sound came out. Her eyes darted towards Elia, who gave her hand a squeeze. “Umm…”

Racking her mind for a conversation starter, Faye said, “Say, Monara, do you see many animals around Garden City?”

“Animals? Of what sort?”

“Dogs, cats, birds. Non-human creatures of our world. Cait looks after plenty for her job.”

Faye watched Caitlyn’s eyes inch back towards Monara. “I have seen a few of your people’s pets,” Monara said, “but I do not recognize the differences. I see birds often, but I have not seen many dogs or cats. The squirrels seem very friendly, though Faye was surprised at that for some reason.”

Cait still didn’t say anything. It had seemed like a good topic, but Faye recalled the time that the Outsider invaders had transformed a dog into a monstrous minion. They’d saved the dog, but Cait had been shaking with anger over what the poor animal had gone through. Maybe Cait had been reminded of that now. Maybe she’d been trembling over her own memories back then. “Elia works at the Rec Center pool,” Faye said. “Have you ever been there, Monara?”

“I have not been to this Rec Center. I do not think swimming would be fine for my wings.”

“I haven’t seen any chrysideans at the Rec Center,” Elia said. “You’re the first of your kind I’ve seen. You too, Cait?”

Caitlyn nodded. She still couldn’t look directly at Monara.

From her position as the in-between, Faye just didn’t know what to say to Cait. Did she dare bring up the invasion, to mention that Monara’s people hadn’t played any role in it? Was vouching for Monara’s character enough to overcome that instinctive fear? Caitlyn wasn’t in a full panic yet, but her occasional tremble and clenched hands revealed her unease.

“Faye did mention how pretty your wings are,” Elia said out of nowhere, “but she really couldn’t do them justice. Your dress is very neat, too. Your own silk, Faye mentioned?”

“Indeed,” Monara replied. “Thank you for your kind words. Your hair is arranged in a lovely manner, though it is one of those human styles that seems to block their eyesight.”

Faye bit her lip. Elia’s visible eye glanced away. “Oh…I can see fine,” Elia said. “It’s just how I like my hair…”

“And you are dressed very well, Caitlyn,” Monara said. “I enjoy the blend of colours. Perhaps it is a fashion I could create something similar to.”

All Cait answered with was a nod. Faye glanced back and forth between her friends and Monara, hoping for one side to break the awkward silence.

After a few seconds of neither doing so, Faye sat down on the corner of her coffee table. “Caitlyn, I’m sure you must be curious about Monara’s people. She’ll tell you whatever you’d like to know.”

Cait looked up to Faye, and mouthed a single word: _Sorry_. “Come on, Cait,” Faye said, trying to sound encouraging. “You must be curious of something.”

Finally, Caitlyn managed to squeak out a few words. “How did… How did you and Faye meet?” she asked, still not able to look directly at Monara.

“We met at a local restaurant,” Monara said. “I asked if I could sit at her table, and she did not mind. I asked her about her phone, and she had questions for me as well. We met more times after that, sharing questions about each other’s worlds.”

“There was so much I wanted to learn about Monara and her people,” Faye said. “And I told Monara what I could about our world. I’ve really had a fun time learning more about Outsiders.”

Cait nodded. She wasn’t shaking, but her gaze still remained fixed on the wall away from Monara. “Have you…made friends with…with other humans?”

Monara laced her hands together. “Yes. I have befriended staff at the Embassy. I also have made friends with several actors at the Parthenope Theater. They are planning to hold an Outsider performance. It would be a perfect chance to see many Outsiders in a peaceful, pleasant environment.”

Cait’s head lowered. “Oh…I’m sorry. I know this is uncomfortable…I’m really sorry…”

“Cait…” Faye said, placing a hand on Cait’s shivering leg. She felt a wince from her touch.

When Faye looked back to Monara, the chrysidean’s antennae had drooped. “Caitlyn,” she said, “I am not offended. I understand that it has taken you great courage to be here with me. The scars of the conflict between our worlds still remain, and I do not blame you if memories of those days still sour your view of us.”

Cait was visibly shaking now. “No…I-I shouldn’t…”

Monara knelt, as if trying to come more into Cait’s view. “I would be happy to meet with you whenever you wish. A friend of Faye’s would be welcome company. But if you are uncomfortable, I can depart if you wish.”

“Monara…” Faye said, standing up.

“Would you like me to stay longer?”

Faye looked to Caitlyn, hoping for affirmation. All she saw were teary eyes and trembling.

Monara rose up. “I hope we will meet again, Caitlyn,” she said. “It would be my pleasure to help our peoples mend the scars of the past.”

“Thank you for coming, Monara,” Faye said, trying not to sound resigned.

“It was nice to meet you, Monara,” said Elia, standing up. “With how fond Faye is of you, I knew you would be fascinating.”

Both Faye and Elia turned to Caitlyn. Slowly, Cait stood up, looking towards but not quite at Mnoara. “Thank you,” Cait said in a soft voice. “Sorry…”

Monara turned to the door. “One minute,” Faye said to her two friends before following Monara out into the hallway.

As Faye closed the door, Monara said, “It did not work as well as you had hoped.”

Turning a sigh into a deep exhale through her nose, Faye said, “Well…it wasn’t as bad as I had feared, but I think she thought she’d do better.”

“Is such lingering fear from past events common in humans?”

Faye couldn’t give any sort of statistics, but she nodded. She would have mentioned the people who studied trauma, who tried to help those like Caitlyn, but wouldn’t Monara wonder why those people weren’t who Caitlyn sought help from?

“When I spoke of your friend’s hair,” Monara said, “she seemed displeased. I was honest in my sentiment. Did I seem false in my words?”

“No, it’s not that.” Faye remembered the teasing Elia had gotten back in high school on occasion, the very reason she’d adopted her usual hairstyle. “She’s…blind in one eye, the eye that her hair covers. Kids used to make fun of her over it, so she started wearing her hair like that.”

“Oh.” Monara laced her hands together. “I am afraid I have offended her, then. Please apologize to her for me.”

“I will. And Monara…thanks for trying.”

“I hope your friend overcomes her pain. Please tell her my best wishes. Farewell, Faye.”

“See you later, Monara.”

The chrysidean walked down the hallway, her wings moving with each step. What they’d talked about the day before rushed into Faye’s mind, but this was hardly the time—or the place. Dreading what awaited her within, Faye returned into her apartment.

Caitlyn wasn’t crying, wasn’t shaking, wasn’t collapsed against a wall or upon the floor. She was sitting down on the couch again, with Elia holding her hand. “How are you feeling, Cait?” Faye asked, sitting on her other side.

Faye waited patiently for the response. “I’m…I’m sorry, Faye…”

“Don’t be,” Faye said, putting an arm around Caitlyn. “Monara’s understanding, and she wants to help.”

“You weren’t too panicked, Cait,” Elia said, giving her hand a squeeze. “I could tell that for sure.”

“Maybe…” said Cait, lowering her eyes. “Maybe it’s because…we never fought her kind before? We never saw them back then. I’ve…never seen one of her kind at all before today.”

Faye doubted that Monara would be eavesdropping, but still that mention of the past, even in the privacy of her home, brought a flutter to Faye’s stomach. “Then maybe she’s perfect to help you, Cait. She said she’d be happy to meet you again, another time.”

“Maybe…” Turning to Faye, Caitlyn sighed and said, “I’m really sorry about this, Faye. I shouldn’t be like this, I shouldn’t be freaked out when your friend is here. I’m really sorry…and I hope Monara isn’t angry at me…”

“She isn’t, Cait,” Faye said. Even if Monara herself assured Cait of that, would Cait still believe it? “It’s fine. Just relax. Everything’s fine.” Standing up, Faye said, “Why don’t you two stay for a bit? Find something on TV, and I’ll make you guys supper. Sound good?”

“How about it, Cait?” asked Elia. “If you have anything you want to know about Monara, Faye can tell you.”

Slowly, Caitlyn nodded. “Sure…sure, that sounds good.”

Faye grabbed the remote, handing it to Caitlyn before sitting back down. “Your pick. Whatever you want.”

Caitlyn didn’t start browsing until Faye was in the kitchen, overhearing the brief bursts of audio from each channel. With her friends out of sight, Faye’s mind returned to the day prior, to what Monara had spoken of. Becoming a chrysidean…she could be part of the magical world, see the Outsiders’ world again, without having to risk her and her friends’ secrets. The secrets they shared, the secret that kept Cait from doing what she truly needed…

…but if she took that opportunity, would her friendship with Caitlyn even survive?


	18. Pressure

Though Caitlyn seemed fine when she left on Sunday night, Faye worried about her all throughout Monday. Her own lack of focus on work made her wonder how everything affected Cait at her job. Cait never talked about having any problems at work, but would she admit that sort of thing to Faye and Elia?

After the evening news, Faye stared at her contacts list on her phone. Would this help Cait? Or would it just remind her of her inability to remain calm with someone she knew was a friend of a friend? Perhaps texting Elia was a better idea; maybe she’d already gotten in touch with Cait.

Or maybe, Faye decided, it’d help Cait to know that she wasn’t upset about what had happened. Faye found Cait’s number and called her. A few seconds later, Cait’s timid voice squeaked through the phone. “ _Hello, Faye?_ ”

“Hey, Cait,” Faye said, resting back on her couch. “How was work today?”

A small sniff came through the phone, and Faye’s stomach twisted. “ _Well…we had an adorable pup here, the most affectionate little guy. Poor boy was a stray, lost a leg when he got hit by a car. Someone came by the shelter and fell in love with him. Scott and I were so happy for Oscar…_ ”

So was that noise actually tears of joy? “That’s great to hear. I’m sure his new owner will take just as good care of him as you have.”

“ _Y-yeah…_ ” Cait made another sniffling sound. “ _Faye…did you call about yesterday?_ ”

“I called about you,” Faye said. “About how you’re feeling now.”

“ _Thanks, Faye, but…I’m fine. Really._ ”

Faye listened not to her words, but her tone. There was an unsteady hint to it, but Caitlyn didn’t sound as she had on the weekend she’d seen an Outsider at the supermarket. Rather than panic or fear, she sounded…resigned.

“Monara did say that she would be happy to meet you and Elia again,” Faye said. “Do you think you’d be able to handle meeting her again?”

Cait’s hesitation suggested one response, but she said the opposite. “ _Faye…I think I could._ ”

“That’s great! You’re becoming more confident.”

“ _…no, no, Faye. Faye, I didn’t completely freak out because…like I said, w-we never fought Monara’s kind back then._ ”

“Well, yes. Monara did tell me that none of her people were involved in the invasion.”

“ _So what if I can handle being around her? What if I see…an Outsider whose kind we used to fight? Even if I do become fine around M-Monara…I’d still treat her friends like monsters…_ ”

“Cait, you know that’s not true,” Faye said. “You know they’re not monsters. You don’t treat them like monsters, ever.”

“ _…I’m sorry Faye. I shouldn’t have dragged your friend into this…_ ”

“Caitlyn, please listen.” Faye held her breath for a few seconds, waiting for a response or the sound of sobbing. Neither came, so she continued. “If you really thought they were monsters, that they didn’t deserve your kindness and respect, you would have never tried this. You wouldn’t have been willing to meet with one of them.”

She stopped for a moment, but Cait didn’t say anything. No noise came through. Faye lowered the phone, realizing why she hadn’t heard anything from Caitlyn: she had hung up.

Faye tossed her phone onto the cushion beside her with an angered sigh. It only took a few seconds for that frustration to turn upon herself. Actually meeting Monara had been a huge step for Caitlyn. Overcoming what had happened to her would take a long time.

It would take time even if she had _actual_ help.

All that stood in the way were secrets—not even as much Cait’s own but her friends’ that she cared more about. Faye would have happily given up her secret if it meant Cait could get the help she needed.

But then again, wouldn’t her own situation be so much easier if she told Monara her own secret? If she revealed her own magic to her magical friend. Would she be able to fit into the world of Outsiders not as one of them, but as her magical self? As Papillon?

She could trust Monara with her secret, just as Monara had trusted Faye with her status. But what if others figured out that the heroine of five years ago who had returned just to hang out with a chrysidean was the same human that said chrysidean often spent time with? What if, just as Faye had realized Monara was a “princess” by her mother’s position, Monara figured out that Faye’s closest friends were also fellow heroines?

Her own reasoning was exactly why Caitlyn would never let herself confide in a professional therapist.

Faye sighed, and put her phone back on the coffee table. Maybe it would have been for the best if all of them hadn’t hidden their secrets five years ago, but they couldn’t risk unlocking that Pandora’s box today.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

Though Faye sprang out of bed at the usual time on Tuesday morning, her usual brisk pace through her morning preparation slowed with each passing second. Thoughts of Monara and Caitlyn plagued her concentration, to the point that she only realized halfway down the stairs of her apartment building that she hadn’t even eaten anything for breakfast. She also hadn’t noticed the rain, and the drizzle soaked her clothing on the way to the Fireside.

When she spotted Monara’s blue-violet wings inside the restaurant, the butterflies in Faye’s stomach took flight. Monara would insist how Sunday had gone wasn’t a problem, but would she be feeling differently inside?

Her grumbling stomach as she approached the counter prompted Faye to purchase two Boston creme donuts along with her hot chocolate. Sitting down with Monara, Faye said, “Hey, Monara. Donut?”

“No, thank you,” Monara replied. Her coffee/hot-chocolate was already empty. Had Faye arrived late, or had Monara been early?

A few moments of silence passed, with Faye longing for food but expecting something from Monara. When no topic came from the chrysidean, Faye said, “Hey, Monara…again, thank you for Sunday.”

“How is your friend?” Monara asked.

“She calmed down after you left,” Faye said. It had taken a while, but it was still the truth. “I think it worked a bit. She usually gets so much more panicked.”

“If it is something you do not mind telling me, is there a reason for her fear? Had she been targeted by the ones who invaded your world?”

Caitlyn would have wanted Faye to keep her mouth shut, to not breathe a word about it. If Monara found out, Cait would know exactly how she had. But Monara deserved at least some clue for why the mere sight of her unnerved Caitlyn. “Yeah,” Faye said in a low voice, nodding. “One of them…turned her into some kind of monster. The heroines saved her, but ever since…” Faye lowered her eyes, her mind growing heavy as she tried to find even any hint of fear and guilt in the Caitlyn of her memories. “But please, don’t tell her that I told you this.”

“Then why did you tell me?”

Faye shrugged. “Well…I didn’t want you to think that Cait just didn’t like Outsiders for no reason.”

“I see.”

As Faye ate the first of her donuts, she expected Monara to toss forward something to discuss. But by the time she’d finished, Monara hadn’t said a word. She just sat there, lower hands upon the table and upper hands around her empty drink.

Butterflies joined one-by-one into the flurry in Faye’s stomach. “Is something wrong, Monara?” Faye asked.

“I do not know,” Monara said. She seemed to look around to the tables near them, even though the restaurant wasn’t that full today.

What did Monara have to be concerned about? Faye tried to remember if she’d mentioned what had happened on Wednesday. “Monara, last week, the duneyrr from the Guardant met with me. He apologized for bothering me and insisted we weren’t in any trouble.”

“I see.” Faye didn’t spot any relaxation in Monara’s antennae from that news.

If that wasn’t her worry, then what could be? Leaning in and speaking softly, Faye asked, “Monara, is this about what you mentioned on Saturday?”

“We should not speak about it here,” Monara immediately replied, her voice as low as Faye’s.

Her prompt response convinced Faye that it had to do with that. “Monara, don’t worry. I’ve been thinking about it, but I know you don’t want to put any pressure on me.”

Monara didn’t respond. Shrugging, Faye said, “Well, is there anything you’d like to ask me? Anything you’ve been wondering about my world?”

It took a few seconds for the answer to come in the form of Monara shaking her head. “I do not have any questions today, Faye. I am sorry, but I should get going.”

“Are you sure?” Faye asked, leaning forward on the table. Of all of the times they’d met, of all of the weeks since they’d agreed to meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays, not once had Monara passed up one of their meetings. Not once had Monara been uninterested in questions.

The chrysidean rose to her feet. “I am sure. I am sorry, Faye. I will see you on Thursday.” Before Faye could find the words to make her stay, Monara slipped out from the table and headed out of the restaurant.

Faye would have pursued her, begged to know what was wrong, had it not been for Monara’s word that they would meet on Thursday. Whatever was wrong, it wasn’t as if Monara was afraid enough to stop meeting her altogether.

But what was it? Two things had happened over the weekend. Monara meeting Cait, and Monara telling her that she could become a chrysidean. She didn’t seem bothered about the former, but the latter… Monara was right, though—it was a terrible idea to discuss it in public. It had taken a lot of awareness, codewords, and precautions to keep her and the others’ secret from slipping five years ago. Even bringing up the idea of a secret between her and Monara was a bad enough idea.

Just thinking about everything in a crowded setting wasn’t comfortable. As Faye contemplated heading on her way, she spotted another inhuman figure rising from a table on the opposite side of the Fireside. She might not have recognized them if she hadn’t gotten a good look at their wispy white hair and pale face, given that she had never noticed a sylphid dressed in human fashion before. Had she _ever_ noticed an Outsider other than Monara in the Fireside before?

Once the sylphid left the restaurant, a thought crossed Faye’s mind. Why in the world would an Outsider _without a mouth_ visit a restaurant?

Maybe there was an answer to that, one she just didn’t know. But the butterflies began to swirl, and Faye ultimately decided that she didn’t want to be here without Monara any longer today.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

In contrast to Tuesday morning, Wednesday started slowly and kept that pace as Faye left her apartment. A cnidarian woman walked past Faye on the sidewalk, seeming to bask in the light rain. Faye recalled Monara’s cnidarian friend, but didn’t remember her name. Would she recognize Faye if their paths crossed again? Would Faye recognize her from any other of her kind?

The rain let up by the time that Faye entered the offices of Pathfinder R&D—naturally, for a day when she hadn’t thought to bring an umbrella. On the way up the stairs, Faye tried to get herself into the right mindset for work. No thinking about Outsiders, about Monara, about becoming a chrysidean.

Ms. Drewe was standing in the hallway just by the stairs. “Miss Brice?” she said as Faye stepped out of the stairwell.

“Yes?” What did her boss want from her this early?

“Please come to my office.”

That wasn’t a request. What had she messed up this time? Faye nodded, unable to let out a word. She followed Ms. Drewe to her office, glancing to her watching co-workers.

“Please sit down,” Ms. Drewe said, before taking her own seat. Once Faye sat down, she said, “Faye, I’ve spoken to you several times this month about your slipping performance and punctuality.”

“Yes, I know,” Faye said. What else could she say? She didn’t have any excuses for either.

“I had hoped that you would return to your prior standards after these warnings.” Ms. Drewe put her hands together on her desk. “But your productivity and reliability has not been satisfactory.”

Faye’s eyes shifted away. The most likely possibility—no, the only reason she could think of for what her boss was saying, why she wanted to see her right now—slowly dawned over her. No amount of willpower could force her eyes back to Ms. Drewe.

The words managed to rise out of her chest. “So…I’m fired.”

Ms. Drewe closed her eyes for a moment. “I’m sorry, Miss Brice.”

A heaviness filled Faye’s entire body, from her head down to her toes. “No…no. It’s my fault, I know…I…”

No more words could come to mind. She didn’t feel like she was about to cry, like she might have expected. But was this really unexpected? Faye should have seen it coming, should have known this would happen with how she’d let her conversations and curiosities overtake her concentration. But this mundane possibility had never crossed her mind.

Standing up, Faye said, “I’ll…get my things, then. Again…I’m sorry.”

Ms. Drewe said something, perhaps condolence or acceptance, but Faye didn’t register what she said. She headed for the door, with Ms. Drewe close behind her.

None of her former co-workers would have any doubt of what had happened.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

Ms. Drewe walked with Faye to the front doors of the building. “I’m sorry about this, Faye,” she said, stopping before the door.

“Like I said, it’s my own fault,” Faye replied, still unable to look at her ex-boss.

She could still notice her former boss’s stare out of the corner of her eye. “Take care of yourself, Faye,” she said. “Find yourself something new, something you’re passionate about. Don’t just take something that you’ll burn yourself out on again.”

Faye finally managed to look up to Ms. Drewe’s eyes. Had she realized that? And for how long had she known? Probably…probably since she’d started meeting regularly with Monara, when her dedication had started slipping. She tried to think of something to express the mix of gratitude and apology inside of her, but all she could manage was, “I…I will. Goodbye, Rebecca. Thank you.”

Ms. Drewe opened the door for her, and Faye walked outside. A few drops continued to fall here and there, but Faye paid less attention to them than the click of the closing door behind her.

Now…what now? Just standing outside of her former workplace wasn’t appropriate. She started on her way home, walking slowly, trying not to let others see any shame or guilt on her face or in her posture. Other people walked by her, most of them dressed for work. Those people had no problem with living a normal life, with a normal career, coming home to a normal evening with their normal family and normal friends…

The thought danced in her mind, but Faye refused to dwell on it until she reached her apartment. Once she closed and locked the door behind her, Faye headed over to her armchair, walking like her spine had turned to lead.

Collapsing down, Faye closed her eyes. So that was it. Part of her wanted to pretend not having to go to work, not having to slog over countless figures and formulas was a good thing. But even if she hadn’t enjoyed it, it’d paid for her life. It’d paid for her future. It’d paid for her apartment, her college savings, her meals. It’d paid for the hot chocolates with Monara. How soon could she find a new job, how long would she have to eat into her savings until she found something that might not even pay as well as her old job?

Or…

How would her friends react when they found out? What if Elia realized that it had been her friendship with Monara that had lost Faye her job? That she’d been too caught up in her wonder and curiosity to focus on the same old normal routine?

…that was it, wasn’t it?

Even if she found herself another job, it could be just as monotonous. It could consume all of her time. It could be difficult, unpleasant. It could get in the way of her time with Monara. And for what? To go through years of college in the hopes of _finally_ finding something worthwhile? Something that could be as exciting and satisfying as her magical past life?

Faye lifted her head slightly. That was exactly it. _Magical_.

Rebecca’s parting words echoed in Faye’s mind. _Find yourself something new, something you’re passionate about._ She’d already done so, and that had become the brightest moments of her days. But as long as she was just a normal person, an ordinary human, those would only be mere moments, not even a glimpse into the wonder of the Outsiders, their world, their very existence.

And maybe she could see that world as Papillon. Monara would never give away that secret. But what if someone else found out anyway, realized that Monara’s human friend and Monara’s heroine friend were one and the same? Then they could connect the dots, suspect the people Faye knew…

…unless…unless Papillon had nothing to do with it. Unless it was simply Faye Brice, ordinary Faye Brice, wanting to become part of the Outsider world.

Faye closed her eyes. In her mind, she imagined the places Monara had told her about, the lands her people called home. She recalled the tapestry that had depicted their forest, the massive trees and the mushrooms growing upon them. She tried to picture the palace that Monara’s mother had mentioned, even if she had no clue what it would look like. She saw the horizon beneath a twinkling violet sky that greeted her upon her arrival into the Outsider world, a sign of how much more there was beyond the small part of it she and her friends had seen five years ago.

And she thought about the sense of wonder she felt, even as they fought against unknown beings that threatened humankind, even as she witnessed the damage and terror their Outsider enemies left in their wake, even as the five of them had been brought before their greatest enemy for their final battle.

She loved spending time with Monara, learning so much about the world beyond her own…but that would never compare to seeing it with her own eyes.

Elia would question it. Cait might be terrified by the prospect. Her father might be horrified. Maybe everyone she knew would question and belittle her choice.

But if she didn’t take this chance, she’d never forget that she passed it up. She’d spend her entire life wondering about it could have been instead, going through boring job after boring job, never knowing what she might have passed up.

The butterflies stormed about inside of her, through every vein in her body. She sighed, thinking about what everyone would tell her about it.

Did any of that matter if she just _couldn’t_ be happy being normal?


	19. Heart

Somehow, the hours of Faye’s Wednesday passed by even more slowly without her job. Faye tried to figure out what she’d tell…everyone. Her family, her friends, even her landlord would need to know, sooner or later, one way or another. She had to write a note or something. Something to affirm that it was her choice, her desire. She’d have to tell her friends and father about it before she did it. The sooner, the better.

She stared at the television as the minutes ticked towards six o’clock, waiting for the news to come on. She waited only to learn that nothing at all of interest was happening in Garden City or the rest of the world—at least, nothing that interested or intrigued her. It could have been a terrible tragedy, a medical discovery that would save countless lives. But it wasn’t magic. It wasn’t the mysteries and miracles of the Outsider world.

At the second commercial break, Faye’s phone started ringing. She hesitated to take her phone out, not sure if she wanted to talk to anyone at all—not her friends or even her ex-coworkers. She’d be pretending everything was alright, all while on the verge of making a choice that could mean never talking to any of them ever again.

After several rings, she couldn’t ignore it any longer. She pulled her phone out, reading the caller name on the screen: _Dad_. How long had it been since she’d last talked to him? She tapped the screen, then said, “Hey, Dad.”

“ _Faye! How are you, dear? It’s been a while. What’s been going on with you?_ ”

Faye didn’t know where to begin, or if she even should. The last thing she wanted to say was what had happened today. “Nothing much, Dad. Just…the same old. How have you been?”

“ _Pretty fine, Faye. My boss retired, and I’ve gotten promoted to his position. The solar industry is doing fine and so is my salary, heh. How’s your work going?_ ”

Of course, he had to bring up the one thing she hoped not to discuss. Faye forced out an answer as soon as she could, but it still took a few seconds. “Not bad, not bad. Just…making things work.”

“ _Wonderful! I guess you’ve been saving your money diligently. Any idea what you’ll study?_ ”

All of this time, Faye could have been thinking about that. She could have been laying the steps for her future, instead of caring only about a world she didn’t belong in. “I’m going to think about it. Something scientific, maybe.”

“ _Good. Hope you find something you like. You’re a smart kid, you worked hard in school. I’m sure you’ll land yourself a great job._ ”

Maybe her father could get her a job at his company. Even if it was just another boring desk job, it’d be better than nothing. But she already felt guilty enough about not telling him the full story.

“ _So, how are your friends? And have you met anyone interesting?_ ”

“Oh, my friends are fine,” Faye answered. “And…well…” She thought back to the things her dad had said about Outsiders back when they had been enemies of humankind. What if he still felt that way?

“ _Hm? Seeing someone?_ ”

“…well, a friend. She’s…”

“ _Oh, I won’t pry, dear. I’m sure that if you are dating someone, she’s a fine lady. And even if you aren’t yet, you’ll find someone. You know you will._ ”

Had she already? What would he think of the company she’d been keeping? What would he think of the beings his daughter wished to join? “Um…Dad? You ever see Outsiders around? Talk to them, or…”

“ _Huh?_ ”

“I was…just wondering…”

A hearty laugh erupted through the phone. “ _Oh, is that what it is? Is my daughter smitten with an Outsider?_ ”

“W-what? Dad!” Her cheeks flared up. Thank goodness they weren’t talking face-to-face. “It’s not like that!”

“I _s it? I figured that’s why you were asking._ ”

“Actually…”

“ _Faye, if that’s what it is…you know that it’s what you want that’s important. If you and…well, I’ve got no clue what she looks like…but if you do love an Outsider, then go for it. Even if it’s just infatuation, why not follow your heart?_ ”

His last sentence felt fitting for the struggle Faye couldn’t tell her dad about. “You…you wouldn’t have a problem with an Outsider?”

“ _All that awful business is the past now, isn’t it? They’re not looking to take over our world or anything. From what I’ve seen, they’re alright. A few of them are really fascinated by solar power!_ ”

So Monara wasn’t the only Outsider fascinated by the technology of the human world. “It’s…it’s good to hear you say that, Dad. I didn’t think you’d have a problem, but…”

“ _So, tell me about her. What’s she like? What does she look like?_ ”

Her father would probably have the same reaction as her friends. “She’s…she’s a butterfly-lady. She’s very curious, inquisitive, knowledgeable. She’s…pretty, in a way.”

“ _Hah, she sounds just like you! Well, even if she is only a friend now, I’d love to meet her someday. Especially if I might be walking you down the aisle with her someday!_ ”

How red were her cheeks now? “Dad…” she said, half-laughing.

“ _Sorry, sorry. But you know fathers, wanting the best for their kids. And your mother would want you to love whoever you love._ ”

Faye nodded out of instinct. “Of course.”

“ _Well, take care of yourself, Faye. Alright?_ ”

“Sure, Dad. Thanks for calling. Bye!”

“ _Talk to you later!_ ”

Faye lowered the phone from her ear, staring at the phone screen until her dad hung up. Not a word had slipped about her desires, her intentions. But how could she explain what she wanted to her father? What kind of father would be fine with his daughter abandoning her humanity?

All he thought…was that he was in love with an Outsider.

She was willing to become one of Monara’s kind. To leave behind the life she’d known for twenty-two years, to begin a new life with Monara and her people. Would she have accepted this if it meant becoming something other than a chrysidean?

And she knew it wasn’t merely the allure of the Outsider world that made her want this. She felt a happiness and excitement with Monara, one she’d once known but had eluded her for so long. Part of it was the glimpse into the world of magic, but it was also Monara’s eagerness to share, her enjoyment of Faye’s curiosity and fascination. Monara…Monara was wonderful to be around.

So, perhaps her dad was right. All of Elia’s teasing was probably because she had realized what Faye hadn’t. Maybe Monara felt the same way, maybe her people didn’t even have any sort of concept of romance, but when Faye asked herself that question…her own answer couldn’t be anything other than _yes_.

If she had to pick one person to be with for the rest of her life, the only one she could even consider was Monara.

But it wouldn’t come to that. Elia and Cait would understand. Her father might be horrified, but he’d realize that she was doing just as he told her to.

Following her heart.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

On Thursday morning, Faye dragged herself out of bed. After she ate breakfast, she almost started on making herself a lunch for work…until she remembered that she didn’t have work anymore.

She walked away from the kitchen, looking out through the window to the skyline of Garden City. The view had once been spectacular, but now it was like an ugly painting on her wall. A world of dull greys and browns, a dreary landscape, compared to the one formed from Monara’s words and her own recollection.

More memories of her brief visit to the Outsider world five years ago flashed through her mind as she left her apartment. It felt so strange to walk past people, like she had every weekday for years now, as if one of them would realize her intentions and confront her. She wasn’t doing anything wrong, she wasn’t causing any harm. She was doing what was right for her.

She didn’t bother with her usual glimpse through the window and just walked into the Fireside, heading over to their usual table. Monara was already seated, though she didn’t smile when Faye approached. “Faye,” she said, “how are you today?”

Faye looked around to the other people enjoying breakfast in the restaurant. Even if she believed no one would overhear, this wasn’t the place to talk about it. “Monara,” she said, not bothering to sit down, “are you free today?”

“I do not have plans,” Monara replied. “Why do you ask?”

After a quick glance around, to make sure no one was paying attention to them, Faye said, “Could we talk in my apartment, instead of here?”

Monara’s antennae rose and stiffened. “Faye, do you not have to go to your job?”

The mention of it almost made Faye wince, but she contained her reaction. “It’s fine, Monara. Are you fine with coming with me?”

Taking up her drink, Monara said, “Very well.”

With Monara behind her, Faye led the way out of the Fireside.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

Neither spoke a word to each other until they had arrived in Faye’s apartment. Only once Faye had closed and locked the door did Monara speak. “You wanted to talk about what I mentioned on Saturday.”

“Yeah,” Faye said, nodding and walking away from the door.

When she turned back, Monara hadn’t moved away from the entrance. “Faye,” she said, her antennae lowering, “I believe I should not have told you what I did.”

“Why?” Faye beckoned. It wasn’t like someone would be eavesdropping right against the door, but still…

Monara slowly approached. “Faye, I imagine that what I have told you has caused you much inner conflict. On Tuesday, I was nervous, thinking about your enthusiasm for our conversations and your love of learning more about my world.”

“Is that why you didn’t want to talk then?”

With a nod, the chrysidean said, “As I told you, I did not want to pressure you into making either choice. But I feared, with the fondness you spoke of for my world and what you had said about how you see your world, that indulging your curiosity would cause you to choose rashly.” She took another step closer, lacing her fingers together. “Faye, do you believe the people of your world will understand if you choose to become a chrysidean? I fear they will not, and I fear that the people of my world will not understand such a choice, either.”

Faye shook her head, and approached Monara. “Monara, I’m not worried about what other people will think.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that I’ve made up my mind. Monara, I want to become a chrysidean.”

Faye had expected a warmer response, an understanding from Monara. Instead, her chrysidean friend took a step back. Her antennae drooped, as they did whenever she seemed…apprehensive? Nervous? “I do not wish for you to leave behind all that you know, Faye. If you become one of my kind, you will never be able to return to your human life. I do not wish for you to regret this choice.”

Faye took a step towards her friend. “Monara, I’ve thought about it a lot. I’ve considered everything. I’ve made up my mind, and I want to do this. I want to be part of your world. I know my friends and family will understand. I trust that they will. They’ll know, just as I know…this is what will make me happy.”

A slight tremble passed through Monara’s antennae. “Faye, as I said, I do not know what the repercussions of this choice would be.”

“I don’t care,” Faye said, shaking her head. “Monara, you’ve given me a glimpse into a world I could never imagine, a world of wonder and beauty. I want to see that world with my own eyes. My own world is amazing in its own way, but I want to be able to be part of yours. And I know that, even if I become a chrysidean, my friends will still be my friends. My family will still care about me. They won’t hate me or you for what I chose to do.”

Though Monara’s antennae perked up a bit, her head lowered. “I do not know. Faye, I am not sure the Guardant will approve of this. I believe this is what they may have feared all along.”

“They already told me that we weren’t under any sort of investigation, remember?” Despite her assurance, Faye recalled that sylphid in the Fireside on Tuesday. If they were still watching, wouldn’t they know where the two now were?

“But why did they question you to begin with?”

Faye racked her mind, trying to find something to explain that. The best that could come to her was the same level of caution that led to the Guardant screening every Outsider that entered the human world. Would that sound logical to Monara?

Monara’s antennae drooped lower, as if in response to Faye’s silence. “Faye, I promise you that I did not tell you about becoming a chrysidean out of my own desires. With your fascination with my world, and your dissatisfaction with your own, I believed it would make you happy to become part of my world. But I do not want to encourage you to leave behind all that you know and love in your world.”

Monara kept repeating the same point, but Faye couldn’t really blame her. There’d be hurdles to overcome, both in her adapting to her new self and the people she knew accepting her choice. “Like I said, Monara,” Faye said, taking another step forward, “I know my friends and family will accept this. I know I’ll be able to come home and be welcomed by them. I could live in the Terra Vista, with you.” She hadn’t meant _in the same residence_ , but couldn’t get that thought out of her mind now. “I’ve thought about this, Monara. This is what I want.”

With slowly-rising antennae, Monara asked, “Is this what you truly desire in your heart, Faye?”

“Yes,” Faye said. “Please, Monara. I want to become a chrysidean.”

Several seconds of silence passed, during which Faye craved to know what passed through Monara’s thoughts. Not a glimpse of emotion showed on her face, other than the cryptic swaying of her antennae.

Finally, Faye noticed movement—Monara’s lower pair of arms reaching towards her. Faye moved her hands from her sides, letting Monara take hold of them. “Faye,” Monara said, “the cocoon will require special enchantments for a human metamorphosis. I will return to my world, where my mother will assist me in weaving a cocoon for you. It will take some time. If you change your mind during my absence, I will understand.”

Her voice low and her cheeks flushed, Faye said, “So…it’ll happen in your world?”

“Yes. My mother will arrange for you to be invited to visit our home. I do not know how long in your people’s time it will take for your metamorphosis. Faye, please do not tell anyone about this until it is over. I fear that others may believe the worst about it.”

“I won’t, Monara.” Remembering her conclusion about how she felt about Monara, Faye’s fingers closed around Monara’s. “I’ll be ready.”

The chrysidean’s antennae leaned towards Faye. Was that a sign of affection? Or another emotion Faye had yet to see from Monara? Either way, it didn’t matter.

Monara released Faye’s hands. “I shall depart immediately. I look forward to our reunion.”

“So do I,” Faye said, her voice almost a whisper. “See you then.”

Faye hurried ahead of Monara to open the door. Not another word passed between them as Monara departed and Faye closed the door.

A second passed, then another. Each seemed like the ticking of a timer until the end…the end of one life and the beginning of another. Monara had insisted that she could still change her mind, Faye didn’t want her to go through all of that work for nothing.

Despite how certain she was in her decision, the enormity of it all fell upon Faye’s shoulders. She hadn’t felt like this since…since the day before their final battle. The day before they entered the Outsider world to confront the Empress. She’d told the five heroines that they would be the first humans to be reborn as beings of her world…an irony that wasn’t lost on Faye today.

At least, back then, she had her friends with her. Her friends to share the burden, to fight alongside her, to express their support and strength.

This time, they might not be on her side.

Faye slid down against the wall. Thinking of that day, she took her phone. A few presses later, the pair of selfies appeared on the screen. Five ordinary teenagers, confident and cheerful, without any hint of their incredible secret. Five magical heroines, valiant defenders of humankind, Glints of hope and peace…just as blurry and faded as the past itself.

Soon, it would be her self in that first photo that was nothing more than the blurred past.

No, Faye decided. She held up her phone, smiling as she took a selfie of herself. She still had to figure out how to tell her friends, her father. Especially her father…he thought she was just in love with an Outsider…

Turning the phone over, Faye looked at the picture of herself. A pleasant smile, but this time, alone, she couldn’t hide the nervousness in her eyes. Maybe she’d take a better picture later, one that would be a reminder of who she was. A reminder of her past. A reminder that, as much as she needed to be part of the world of magic, the human world was where she came from.

But she needed another selfie.

Faye stood up. She’d have to put her phone down before doing this. She slipped it into the pocket of one of her coats. If she held onto it, it’d vanish along with the rest of her human attire.

It’d been so long, yet Faye had no doubt that she’d be able to do it. She stepped away from the wall behind her, away from the peephole on her door even though she knew no one could see in from the outside.

Placing her hands, one over the other, upon the center of her chest, Faye pictured...within her. Deep within, deeper than her heart...a chrysalis, still at first. Just like the day she'd first witnessed a butterfly emerging. Just like that fateful day five years ago.

Its surface split open, with brilliant orange light emitting from within. As that light grew in her mind's eye, Faye's feet lifted from the floor.

Yellow-orange brilliance enveloped her body and vision. The body of the shining butterfly pushed itself out of its chrysalis, and with it came a pulse of energy that washed her ordinary clothing from her body, leaving in their place an almost-weightless garment. Her arms spread out as the butterfly unfurled its wings, the magic trailing along her limbs and weaving around her hands and feet. The butterfly of her imagination perked its antennae up, energy flickering around the rims of her eyes.

The light faded as her feet settled back upon the floor, and so did the visualization in Faye's mind. Her body brimmed with seemingly limitless energy, a sensation she hadn't forgotten about all this time. Even if she wasn't the same girl she was five years ago, becoming Papillon was no different after all this time.

The gloves and boots she now bore were black with white spots. Her blouse and pants had vanished, replaced with a shirt and skirt that were both the same shade of orange. Black lines ran down her skirt to the black border with white spots at the hem; the short sleeves of her shirt bore the same pattern. Around her middle was a wide sash, tied behind her in a large bow. The sash was arranged and coloured just perfectly to make it look like a monarch butterfly’s wings—nowhere near as large as Monara’s, but still visible from her front. Over her eyes, the pupils of which would now be a golden colour, was a mask that was coloured and shaped like a monarch butterfly’s wings. Her hair had also changed shades, from a dark brown to a vivid orange-brown.

Faye stood still, tempted to hurry off to her bathroom mirror to see what her twenty-two-year-old magical self looked like. But it just didn’t matter anyway, and that would bring her into view of her living room windows—she didn’t want to spare even the slightest chance of someone in a nearby building glancing over at the wrong moment.

She took her phone out of the coat pocket. When they shifted, everything on them—clothing, phones, even their backpacks and all of their school stuff—vanished. It all reappeared when they returned to normal, just as they’d been before their change. The one exception was electronics—things like phones and music players would work fine afterwards, didn’t show any signs of damage, but their battery levels would be different after shifting. Sometimes a phone that had been fully-charged would be dead after they changed back, or even vice-versa. Elia had experimented with this curious side-effect, but hadn’t come anywhere close to understanding it.

But Faye cleared her thoughts of such things, and held the phone up just as she had for her previous selfie. The flash went off and an artificial camera noise played from the phone.

This selfie turned out exactly as Faye knew it would. The apartment walls behind her were no different, but she was just a blurred mess of orangey colours, none of her details distinguishable. A blur, just like her past. Then again, what she would become would appear just as blurred. Only her past would remain in focus.

She wouldn’t forget. Not her life as Faye Brice, not her life as Papillon. Both her human past and her heroine past had made her the woman she was today, the woman making this choice.

Faye sat down against the wall, not bothering to shift back yet. The hands that held her phone, that scrolled through the four selfies in a secret place on her phone, remained clad in dotted gloves.

It wouldn’t be long until the hands that held her phone were chrysidean hands.

Four of them, even.


	20. Departure

Though Faye kept in touch with Elia and Caitlyn, she didn’t meet up with either of them during the two weeks after Monara’s departure. Elia had invited her out for dinner one day, and Cait had asked her to come over on both weekends, but Faye had pretended she was busy. Neither of her friends seemed to suspect anything out of the ordinary, but Faye just didn’t trust herself to not let it show in-person that she’d lost her job, that there was something going on with Monara, that she’d made a life-changing decision and didn’t have the guts to tell her closest friends about it.

Each time she turned down Cait’s invitation, Faye tried to imagine what Cait would think when she saw Faye’s new self. Caitlyn hadn’t asked to meet Monara again. Faye hoped that, when Caitlyn saw the new Faye, she’d know that it was her friend. Perhaps Faye’s chrysidean self would resemble her, resemble Papillon in some way. But Cait would surely know it was her, and maybe it’d help her to be around an Outsider she knew was one of her most trusted friends.

And Elia… Faye wished she could discuss it with Elia. Maybe Elia just might understand Faye’s choice. Perhaps she wished she could become a cnidarian or something similar, able to explore the oceans of both worlds. How better to study marine life? Or maybe she’d tell Holly about it, and Faye would get another confrontational call from someone who wasn’t part of her life anymore. To distrust such a close friend didn’t sit well with Faye, but she knew Elia would understand in the end.

What about Lyris? Maybe she’d sympathize with Faye—hadn’t she followed her heart herself? At the very least, she knew Lyris was the sort who knew Faye’s life was Faye’s life…Faye hoped.

As she contemplated what to tell Elia and Cait, Faye heard light rapping upon her door. She’d dreaded every day since that decision that the duneyrr from the Guardant who’d visited her twice would return, knowing full well what they were up to. Or the possibility that Monara would be found out, forbidden to return to the human world. The knock on the door wasn’t the same as the duneyrr’s—but it was still one she recognized.

Hurrying over, Faye opened the door to see the chrysidean, dressed in the same elegant gown she’d worn when Faye visited Queen Avonia. Given the sight and the circumstances, all Faye could manage was the usual. “Hey, Monara.”

“Faye,” Monara said, giving a small smile. She stepped inside, and Faye closed the door behind her. “Have you reconsidered?”

Shaking her head, Faye said, “No, I’ve made up my mind. I’m sure of this.”

“Will your friends suspect something is wrong?”

Faye’s eyes shifted away from Monara. “I’ll send them a text, tell them I’m going to be away for a bit. They’re my friends…I’m sure they’ll understand.”

“Then are you ready to depart?”

Faye nodded, and Monara responded with an identical gesture. As Faye put on her shoes, she asked, “Are we going to have any trouble going into your world? Will I need anything?”

“My mother has invited you as a guest of our people. You will be my responsibility. The Embassy staff will be expecting us soon.”

Then surely those staff would know who was, if they didn’t already. What would happen when the Faye Brice that returned to the human world was instead a chrysidean claiming to be her?

Faye dismissed those thoughts. She’d figure it out, one way or another. “Well, let’s go.”

“Very well.” Monara followed Faye out of the apartment, and waited as Faye closed the door on her human life.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

Little passed between the two on their way to the Outsider Embassy. The butterflies started to swirl in Faye’s stomach at the sight of the beige brick building. Was there a remote chance that someone within would know who she was—who she had been?

Monara held the doors open for Faye. The lobby within was an off-white colour, bustling with people. Her eyes went first to the other side of the room, past a security checkpoint with bulletproof glass and several suited guards nearby. Two figures with large mushrooms atop their head walked through doors opposite the entrance. Faye couldn’t see much of their faces, and their bodies were covered by sheets of moss they wore draped around them. “Monara,” Faye said, staring at the two mushroom-headed Outsiders, “are they…mycorrhs?”

“Yes, they are,” Monara said. “The one on the right is Pleuro, the mycorrh I told you about before.”

Faye forced her eyes away from the unfamiliar Outsiders. Who did she have to talk to here? Before she could ask, Monara took one of her hands, leading her towards the checkpoint. “This way, Faye.”

One of the suited guards approached the two of them. He held a clipboard in one hand, and took a pen from his suit with the other. “Monara, this is Faye Brice, correct?”

“Yes,” Faye said, reaching into her pocket. “I have ID, if that’s necessary…”

“That’s fine.” Holding out the clipboard and pen, the man said, “Please sign this form. It is a momentous occasion for a human to be invited by an Outsider leader as a guest, but we do not know what in the Outsider world may be dangerous to humans. Any responsibility for what happens to you during your visit is upon the one accompanying you.”

The butterflies came out in full force as Faye scanned over the form. “Do not be concerned, Faye,” Monara said. “The way to the chrysidean forest is through peaceful lands.” It wasn’t herself that Faye was worried about.

After a quick read, Faye found the dotted line and signed her name. The guard took the clipboard back. “Please exercise caution and good judgement,” the guard said, stepping aside. “If, upon your return, you would like to speak about your experiences in the Outsider world, our staff would be very interested.”

Faye nodded automatically; she didn’t doubt that they would want to hear all about what she was to experience. The guards slid the checkpoint door open, and she followed Monara through the doors beyond.

Concrete planters filled with flowering plants surrounded a raised platform with a stone archway in the center. Faye followed Monara up the steps, the ripples of magical energy growing stronger the closer they came to the site. “I will open the portal, Faye,” Monara said. “Please stand close.”

Faye nodded, and stood close to Monara beneath the arch. Monara held out her four arms and began to flap her wings steadily, filling the air with a faint violet-tinted distortion. All-too-familiar feelings of otherworldly energy brushed against Faye’s skin—was it strong enough for her to feel as her normal self, or was she just imagining it as it had been in the past?

As Monara’s wings beat faster, the rippling in the air began to twist their surroundings further, creating a violet dome of energy around them. The buildings and architecture around them started to blur, just like how pictures and videos of magical beings always turned out. Faye’s feet rose off the ground as everything around them vanished into a purple shimmering haze. The last time she’d experienced this, she’d been with her friends, her companions, and the Outsiders who’d plotted against the Empress’s invasion. Even with Monara within her sight, a sudden feeling of loneliness struck Faye. She closed her eyes, trying to banish such thoughts.

When she opened her eyes once more, the aura around them was beginning to fade. The violet haze gave way to outlines of distant mountains, silhouettes of massive forests on the horizons, and strange shapes that might have been castles or structures or some other kind of alien geography. The sky was a deep violet, like gazing into the deepest ocean of the same energy that had formed the portal. Around them stood blue crystalline walls, uneven and jagged, the greyish earth around them cracked and broken as if the crystal had risen from deep underground.

Faye’s feet landed upon a square platform as the violet aura vanished entirely. What felt like a cold wind washed over Faye—no, it blew _through_ her being, without bringing any sort of chill or disturbing her clothes. Would an ordinary human have felt that current of ether?

Her eyes wandered, spotting Outsiders all around the area. She recognized duneyrr and avalerions, a female chrysidean speaking with another mycorrh, and several Outsider races Faye recognized from her past but had never seen since in the human world since. Small spots of colour danced through the air above, and for a moment Faye thought it was some kind of magical energy until she realized what they were: esperites.

“Are you fine, Faye?” came Monara’s voice to her side.

Faye looked back to her. Monara’s blue-violet wings now glowed faintly from within, almost like how her mother’s had during their meeting. “I’m…I’m fine,” Faye replied, continuing to look all around her.

Her gaze settled on a structure just outside of the crystalline walls, one formed of the same blue crystal. It looked like some kind of fortress…and Faye knew it to be such. “That place is a shrine,” Monara said to Faye, having noticed Faye’s fixation. “Once it held the Glints of the human world prisoner, and now it is a place of reverence to their bravery.”

Reverence? To her and her friends? Faye was fortunate that her eyes couldn’t widen any more. They had been taken inside that place upon entry to this world, imprisoned within solid crystal, able to communicate only with the jailors—one of whom was among the rebels against the invasion, who explained the plan to expose the Empress’s falsehoods to the Outsider leaders. The palace of the Empress…what had become of it? How Faye longed to know, how she wanted to ask Monara—but of course, Faye couldn’t know about such a place.

“Are you ready to go, Faye?” asked Monara.

Her sudden voice nearly made Faye jump. Once she caught her breath—was there oxygen in this world, or was the air itself magic?—she answered, “Yes…yes, I’m ready.”

Monara walked off of the raised platform, towards an approaching duneyrr. The deer-centaur spoke to her in a language that could have passed for a human tongue. Monara answered in her language of hisses and clicks before looking back to Faye. “They have been informed of your arrival by my mother. We may pass. She has arranged transportation, which will soon arrive.”

Faye followed Monara. The surrounding Outsiders glanced in their direction, but no more approached. The way the esperites fluttered and warped through the air around them reminded Faye of insects from her world. In a low voice, Faye asked Monara, “Why are there so many esperites here?”

“I mentioned before that the Guardant ensures all who enter your world will not cause chaos,” Monara replied. “Esperites perform this duty. But you do not need to be concerned. They do not glimpse into those considered leaders or loyalty of our peoples, and they will not bother you as you are my guest.”

A question rose in Faye’s mind, one she couldn’t keep herself from asking. “But what if any of the leaders had supported the Outsider invasion?”

Monara turned her head to the sides, as if looking around. “There is more to it, but let us wait to discuss in private.”

That only piqued her curiosity more. As Faye turned away from Monara, she spotted a pair of duneyrr clad in silk robe-like garments, pulling what seemed like a large round carriage towards them. As they neared, Faye realized the entire carriage, even its wheels, was coated in silk. Silk curtains hung over the opening on each side, eerily still despite the “breeze” that continued to blow all around Faye.

The two duneyrr came to a stop several feet ahead of them. Monara spoke in her language to them, who both uttered a single word in response. “These two will bring us to the chrysidean forest. Please enter, Faye.”

Though she didn’t know if they’d understand, Faye still said to the duneyrr, “Thank you.” One of them bowed a little, perhaps knowing what she meant.

Faye climbed into the carriage first, then Monara entered and sat opposite of Faye. The two duneyrr pulled the carriage around and away from the portal, the vehicle moving smoothly without a single bump or shake. To Faye’s disappointment, the silk curtains obscured her view of their surroundings.

About a minute passed before she looked back to Monara. Her friend hadn’t said a word since entering the carriage, and her antennae hung low in an odd manner. Remembering what she’d said near the portal, Faye asked, “You mentioned how leaders didn’t need to be checked before coming into my world?”

“Yes,” Monara said in a low voice. “The mastermind of the invasion had misled many of the leaders of our world. They believed her words that she sought to save humankind from a hostile world they had no protection against.”

More than ever in this moment was Faye tempted to admit how she knew every detail of that already. Monara had already told her so many truths about herself. Maybe one day she’d explain everything…but it wasn’t merely Faye’s secret, after all.

“When her mistruths were exposed by the Glints and those who rebelled against the invasion, many turned against her and sided with the heroines. One of our leaders who wished to build peace between our worlds believed the esperites were an appropriate measure to ensure peace. But they saw his prior allegiance to the one you know as the Empress, and refused him entry.”

“And this Outsider was royalty, or…?”

“No. He was chosen by his people, in part because of his honour in admitting his error. They believed him most worthy to represent their people before humankind.”

Faye recalled Monara saying something like that about a certain Outsider culture…as well as that decisive confrontation with the Empress. She’d brought them before an audience of many Outsiders, taunting them about the truth of her plot against humankind. The rebels had said they would share human language among the Outsiders who would be present, though Faye feared they might have failed or that none of the Outsiders would care or understand anyway. But then one voice bellowed out, a single clear word—in English: “Enough!” She remembered that cry as clear as it had been that day, the way the Empress had risen from her throne in realization of what had happened. And Faye remembered what kind of Outsider had shouted that one word.

It seemed unlikely, but she had to know if her hunch was right. “Monara…was it Lleuad, by any chance?”

The chrysidean’s antennae perked straight-up. “How did you know?”

That was a great question. “Well, it was just a lucky guess…and I thought about what you’d said before about avalerion culture…”

“I am not surprised you remembered that.” Monara smiled, her antennae lowering in Faye’s direction. “I had heard that Lleuad was one of the first to turn against her. But by the standard he himself had imposed, he would be disallowed into your world, even having proved his desire to forge peace between our worlds.”

Faye closed her eyes and nodded, the smoothness of their ride unnerving her a little. If that had been him shouting in defiance before the Empress…was there any chance that he’d recognized her in the Parthenope Theater? She’d been masked back then, but what if he recognized her voice after all of these years?

The gallop of the duneyrr seemed to echo louder now than it had earlier. Curious, Faye inched closer to her left, pulling aside the curtain.

A vast silvery plain laid beneath the purple sky, with grass that stood as tall as Faye herself. Rolling slops made their way up to the horizon, with dark spires visible in the distance. Over the plains flew dark shapes against the sky, creatures that might have passed for birds if not for their flurrying figures revealing a much greater number of wings than any bird from Faye’s world. They swooped down, clutching and pulling up long blades of grass in their claws that another of their kind would grab in their mouth. Hadn’t one of Monara’s tapestries depicted these creatures?

Faye watched them feed for a while longer before closing the curtain. “You are enjoying the sights of my world, are you not?” said Monara.

Nodding, Faye said, “It’s amazing. I can’t wait to see more…”

Monara’s antennae drooped just a bit. Leaning back into her seat, Faye said, “Monara…thank you for this opportunity. Thank you for everything.”

The chrysidean smiled, but her antennae didn’t respond to Faye’s words. “You are welcome, Faye. And I thank you for your company. I look forward to showing and teaching you more of my world.”

Faye stared at Monara, not saying anything. Seeing all of this, knowing there was so much more waiting for her…made her choice feel like the right one. Her friends would realize that once she told them about everything she had witnessed so far.

But Monara might have been more nervous about it than Faye herself now.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

With how the carriage seemed to glide over the ground, Faye couldn’t quite tell how long they’d sat in silence. For all she knew, time flowed differently in the Outsider world; her only visit hadn’t given her any opportunity to ponder or notice that.

Monara eventually broke the silence. “We are arriving at the forest.”

Faye moved the curtain aside just in time to see the first of the towering trees. Several of them on the forest’s edge rose far above what Faye could see from the carriage, with massive wrinkled trunks. The bark varied in colour, from familiar browns to pale beiges and even the occasional silver or bronze. The leaves of the shorter trees were shades of red, orange, blue, and violet—sometimes all on one cluster of branches. The one tree she spotted with green leaves seemed so much more alien than everything she’d witnessed thus far.

The forest thickened around them, but despite the canopy above, the light beneath remained the same as the rest of the Outsider world. Faye had never seen a sun in this world, but it didn’t seem to matter at all. Flowers and plants of countless colours and strange shapes—massive blossoms, nectar-filled cups, ferns with leaves that bent at sharp and rigid angles, and many more Faye had little time to take in—grew upon the ground and over the moss on the trees. Would those plants have any sort of fragrance? Could they be dangerous to humans?

“It will not be much further,” Monara said.

Faye couldn’t look away from the woods. She spotted a massive orange fungus growing upon one of the trees, like a giant platform growing out from the side of the bark. Further in, large mushroom-cap-like growths appeared on the trees as well. Soon, she spotted two such fungal growths on a tree, one above the other, with silken walls between the edges. Was that…a chrysidean home?

Her suspicion was confirmed shortly after, when she spotted a brown-winged chrysidean flutter into one such structure. They were chrysidean homes! Pushing more of the curtain aside, Faye looked out to the numerous similar dwellings amongst the trees. More chrysideans flew about the forest, some with wings that blended into the woods and others with wings that stood out vividly against their surroundings. Some of them hovered in mid-air, seeming to look upon the carriage. Did they realize what Faye was? How many of them had never seen a human before?

The carriage came to a complete stop. “We have arrived, Faye,” Monara said.

Without waiting, Faye leapt out of the carriage, landing upon the reddish-brown dirt path. Her eyes first went towards the front of the carriage, a gasp escaping from her throat as her head tilted back.

A massive tree stood before her, wider than a skyscraper and piercing through the canopy of the nearby trees. Unlike the other trees, every inch of this massive tree that Faye could see was coated in silk, every trench and crack in its surface outlined in white. Windows had been formed upon its surface, dotting the outside of the tree as far as Faye could see. Two tall towers stood attached to the tree, also formed of silk; had they been built around fungus growing on the trees?

Behind her, Monara stepped out of the carriage. “Come, Faye,” she said. “My mother will be awaiting us.”

Monara took Faye’s hand, guiding her towards an opening between two of the tree’s massive silk-covered roots. Faye watched the chrysideans fly about the trees, going from one home to another or just soaring about in the forest. Having never seen Monara take flight, Faye had never even thought about that aspect of her new life. “Is…is flying easy to do, Monara?”

“It did not take me long to learn after I grew my wings,” Monara said. “Those who join us tend to take longer, but I am certain that you will learn to fly among us in time.”

No doors blocked the entrance, only a pair of silk-clad chrysideans who stepped aside for Faye and Monara. Within, the walls were covered in silk, with coloured strands woven in to create images of chrysideans and vistas of the woods. Faye’s eyes wandered, wanting to understand every inch of what these tapestries showed.

She didn’t even notice Queen Avonia approaching, flanked by her two staff-holding guards. The crimson-winged chrysidean stood to the left of the Queen’s violet wings, while the blue-winged one stayed to her right. Faye recognized her by her violet wings, which shone with a stronger glow than Faye recalled from their first meeting.

“At last, you have arrived,” Queen Avonia said. Her lower arms extended outward, while her upper hands remained together. “Welcome to our home. And of course, it shall soon be your home. You will be the first human to be welcomed into our fold, and we will be happy to soon greet you as one of our own.”

Faye bowed, as if she was before a queen of her own world. “It will be an honour.”

“We have made preparations for a feast to welcome you,” the chrysidean queen said, “but as our foods may not be suitable for a human, we shall wait until you emerge from your cocoon to celebrate. My daughter, do not keep us all waiting. Please take her to her cocoon.”

“I will, Mother,” Monara said. Taking Faye’s hand, Monara said, “Please, this way.”

Faye stared at the Queen and her guards for a few seconds even as Monara led her away, toward an opening that Faye assumed led into one of the towers. When she looked back, Monara was staring at her. “Are you certain that this is what you wish for, Faye?” she said in a low voice.

“I am, Monara,” Faye said with a nod. “I’m ready.”

Monara didn’t answer. Faye told herself that she was ready, that she had come too far to change her mind. She knew what this would entail, that this meant countless awkward questions and probable accusations. That maybe things wouldn’t work out so cleanly, but she was sure they’d figure it out.

But she’d come this far and seen too much to want anything else but what awaited her within a chrysidean cocoon.


	21. Flight

An odd mushroom-like scent filled the tower that Monara led Faye into, only furthering Faye’s idea that the palace towers were formed around giant fungi growing from the tree. Every surface was draped in silk, with the floors of each level depressing slightly beneath Faye’s feet.

They climbed several flights of stairs, passing by numerous empty rooms. “Why do chrysideans have stairs if they can fly?” Faye asked, certain the answer was an obvious one she hadn’t considered.

“Our people do not possess wings at birth,” Monara replied. “When they enter a cocoon to mature, they will emerge with their wings.”

Faye hadn’t spotted a single chrysidean without wings yet. “Will I…have wings when I come out?”

“I…” Monara paused for a second, then continued up the steps ahead before speaking, “I do not know.”

On the next floor, Monara stopped at one of the doorways. “Here,” she said, “is your cocoon, Faye.”

The butterflies started up before Faye even looked inside. Within, everything was covered in silk, just like all of the other rooms. But at the back of the chamber, nestled into a corner, was a cocoon woven against the wall. The silken shell had loose thread and bunches of silk hanging around its opening.

Those butterflies bounced all around inside of Faye’s stomach. She took slow steps towards it, staring into the cocoon. It was empty now, but she could picture a chrysidean fitting inside, as if in slumber…

In an instant, the enormity of what awaited her slammed upon her like a falling weight.

“Faye…” Monara said, placing a hand upon Faye’s shoulder.

She closed her eyes, picturing the selfie of her and her friends, all five their normal selves.

“…is this what you truly desire?”

In her mental image, her own appearance was blurring in the picture. But hadn’t her friends taken their own paths? Hadn’t she supported and accepted their choices?

Faye opened her eyes, taking a deep breath. It didn’t feel the same without the air of her own world. “I’m ready,” she said, “So…I just…climb inside?”

“There is one thing first,” Monara said. “I understand that this may be awkward, but your human clothing may interfere with your metamorphosis.”

A lump formed in Faye’s throat. “So…I have to…undress.”

“There is a garment within the cocoon for you to wear.”

Her cheeks began to burn up. Would she blush as a chrysidean? Would she forget what blushing or other human sensations felt like in time? As Faye started to lift off her sweater, her thoughts came to another human feeling, and she couldn’t help but to ask. “Um, Monara…does the thought of me undressing…excite you?”

“I do not understand.”

That was a good enough answer for Faye. Still, her cheeks remained a deep red as she undressed, leaving her clothing and the few items she’d taken—her apartment keys, bank and ID cards, and phone—in a pile next to the cocoon. She reached in and took the silk dress, slipping it on with ease. It covered her from her shoulders down to her knees, with her back exposed and large “sleeves” on the sides. After all, she’d soon have another pair of arms for her clothes to fit…

As she fidgeted with the dress, Monara stepped closer. “Please enter.”

Faye approached the cocoon. The threshold into the silk shell seemed far more daunting than the portal between worlds ever had. Taking a deep breath, Faye stepped inside of the shell, turning herself around to face Monara.

“Rest against the back of the cocoon,” Monara said. “I must secure you to the inside of the cocoon.”

Faye held her breath and closed her eyes, expecting Monara’s touch. She felt silk weave itself around her wrists and ankles, binding her to the inside of the cocoon, but she didn’t feel Monara’s touch. When she opened her eyes, she saw why: Monara’s wings flapped gently as she waved her fingertips, moving the silk via magic.

“That should suffice,” Monara said. “Faye, are you comfortable?”

All Faye could muster was a small nod.

Monara leaned forward, her upper hands supporting her against the back. Her lower hands found Faye’s hands. Her fingers closed around Faye’s, and Faye held her hands in turn.

The chrysidean leaned her head in even closer.

Faye held perfectly still as Monara’s lips pressed upon her own. Those chrysidean lips were cold, rough, dry. They didn’t smooch or peck, just pressed against Faye’s. The fur on Monara’s face tickled Faye’s cheeks and nose—it smelled faintly nice, an aroma Faye couldn’t think of a comparison for.

Nothing like this was like any kiss she’d received from any of her high-school girlfriends. But none of those relationships had ever gone this far.

A few seconds later, Monara withdrew, smiling. Faye stared at her, her lips as still in her surprise as they had been moments earlier.

“Rest peacefully, Faye,” Monara said. “Dream of the moment when you spread your wings and take flight for the first time.”

Monara’s smile remained as she took up strands of silk in her fingertips and with her magic. All four hands and invisible ones pulled bunches of silk into place over the cocoon’s opening. Moving upward from the bottom, Monara sealed up more and more, until only a small window to the outside remained. The last thing Faye saw was Monara’s wide smile before she placed a layer of silk over the hole, plunging Faye into complete darkness.

Everything became still. Only the sound of her breathing that echoed within the cocoon kept her from thinking that she’d lost all of her senses. Nothingness surrounded her, a darkness that tempted her to become part of it. Her eyelids started to feel heavy, and weariness filled her body. How long had it taken? She had no clue. Her growing exhaustion wasn’t an unpleasant feeling, though…the opposite, really.

It felt like she was so tired…and a nice, long nap was about to welcome her into its embrace.

A soft yawn escaped her lips as her eyes closed. Resting her head back against the soft wall of the cocoon, Faye thought once more about Monara’s kiss, her last conscious thought before peaceful bliss overtook her.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

For yet another time, Monara took flight from the window of her chambers, soaring down from the great tree to the tower that Faye dwelled within. The window of the tower was narrow, but Monara managed to slip through, landing nimbly upon her feet.

She walked into the chamber, approaching the cocoon. Both of her right hands came upon its surface. Within, Faye’s metamorphosis would be progressing. Monara wondered what was happening within, how Faye’s body was changing, but it was dangerous enough to disturb a chrysidean’s metamorphosis into an adult. To intrude upon a human’s transformation would carry much greater risk.

Her antennae lowered, the tips almost brushing against the surface of the cocoon. For all of Faye’s assurances, Monara did not know if others would believe that this was her choice. Would the Guardant believe she had pressured Faye? Would the humans who knew Faye believe it had been her choice? She recalled the one who had been unsettled in her presence, the one Faye asked her to meet. Would that friend accept Faye upon her return?

Monara placed another hand upon the cocoon. For all of her concerns, this was Faye’s choice. Faye had made her decision, insisted upon it. The tips of Monara’s antennae touched the silk, longing for the moment that they would touch upon Faye’s antennae as she held all four of her hands…

“Patience, my daughter.”

Queen Avonia entered the chamber, accompanied by her two retainers. “You visit her so often, when she cannot respond to you. In time, my dear, in time.”

Returning her gaze to the cocoon, Monara said, “I can barely wait, Mother. Faye has shown such curiosity of our world. I long for the day that I can show her everything I have told her about, to hear the joy of discovery from her once more.”

Her mother approached. “I can imagine, my daughter. She must have waited long to leave behind her mere human existence, her human world.”

Mere human existence? “Mother,” Monara said, “humans may not possess magic, but they have such a fascinating world of their own. She has many friends there, and there is still so much more I wish to learn of her people and her world.”

The chrysidean queen drew closer, her attention focused on the cocoon. “She must have little attachment to her world for her to leave behind her human life. She has recognized that, and I am sure you will realize it in time too.”

“I do not believe so, Mother” Monara took a step away from the cocoon, turning her body towards her mother. “She spoke of returning to her friends, of visiting the human world often. She has not abandoned her world and people, and I would not wish for her to do so.”

“We shall see in time, then,” the chrysidean queen replied, crossing both pairs of arms. “The first human to join our fold. We shall see whether she will care for the ones she once belonged to.”

Monara’s focus moved to the two retainers, her mother’s most loyal attendants. They had stood guard while Monara and her mother made Faye’s cocoon, with Monara weaving her silk and her mother forging the enchantments that would turn a being of another world into one of their own.

A question dawned in her mind, her antennae rising slowly along with her confusion. “Mother,” she said, “you spoke of enchantments to ensure a human would survive the metamorphosis.” Her antennae twitched once. “But if no other humans have become chrysideans, how did you know of these enchantments?”

A few seconds of silence passed before Monara turned back to her mother. The Queen’s antennae were splayed, stiff. They reminded Monara of stern lectures about proper behaviour from her youth, before her own metamorphosis. “Would you like to know that, my daughter?”

“Yes, Mother.” She did not miss how her mother’s retainers tightened their hold upon their staffs.

“So long ago,” spoke Queen Avonia, “when our ruler plotted her invasion of the humans’ world, she tasked members of many of our world’s peoples to study how humans could be freed of their pitiful existence, of how they could be enlightened like us. With the energy of their world, anima, our sages created simulacrums of humans, to experiment with the metamorphosis of a human into a chrysidean.”

Monara’s hands rose to her chest, all placed over the other. Her head bowed, though her antennae stood erect. “Mother…you had told Faye that our people had no involvement in the invasion of the human world. You had sworn so to me.”

“Our work was what would follow the invasion,” her mother replied, advancing towards Monara, “transforming humans into beings of ether.” Her antennae remained fixed in their splayed positions. “But you had not yet matured, and the council of advisors wished for you to not follow in their footsteps. Enchantments were placed upon your cocoon, so that your memories of our work could be banished.”

“They removed my memories of…of our service to that tyrant?” Monara stepped back, her head and antennae lowering. How much had she known? And what had she thought of what they were doing? What if she had believed their purpose was true?

“Even the sages who carried out our research had their memories banished from them. The council believed it best to erase our past, to deny our efforts to lift humankind out of their miserable existence.”

Again her mother used those words to describe human life, sparking more frustration within Monara. “Mother, please do not say such things about humankind. They do not live in misery, in suffering. They have such amazing discoveries of their own, even without magic. They fought to uphold their way of life against the forces of the tyrant.”

Her mother’s antennae jittered, an emotional response that Monara could not understand in this context—amusement. “My daughter, surely you know what brought humankind salvation. Humans were only spared purely through the gift of magic—not through the ‘discoveries’ of their people.”

The disdain—no, the disgust for humankind Monara felt in her mother’s words…never had she heard such sentiments about humans from her parent. She had never hinted at such feelings when Monara had told her about the human she had befriended. Or had such sentiments on humanity been purged from Monara’s past as well? “Mother, I know of the Glints who saved humankind. But they fought to protect their people, their way of life. They did not consider their existence something to be ‘saved’ from!”

A number of syllables of the chrysidean language left her mother’s lips—their people’s sounds of amusement. “My daughter, it seems you are incorrect about that.”

The undercurrent of hurt, fury, and confusion still coursed through Monara’s thoughts, like the flow of ether through her wings. “What do you mean?” she asked, unable to draw her thoughts away from her mother’s view of humanity.

Her mother expressed her amusement once more. “When you told me of your affection towards a mere human, I could not believe your betrayal. I wanted to see what pitiful creature you had turned your back on our kind for. But when she came before me, I realized who she was. I had believed that was what drew your fascination with her, but when you told me of the Guardant’s suspicions, I realized you did not even know what was so special about your friend Faye. Or is that merely another invented name?”

Her mother’s earlier words, the Guardant’s interest in their relationship, what she had learned about her people’s past and her mother’s allegiance…it all led Monara to a dawning realization in her mind. It could not be. Her mother must have been mistaken! Yet her mother spoke with such conviction, such certainty. Even as she searched her memories for anything to dismiss this theory, her thoughts returned to Faye in the carriage, how she had known about Lleuad. She had called it a “lucky guess”, but with how her mother spoke of a secret Faye held…

Monara swiftly turned away from her mother, placing each of her hands and the tips of her antennae upon Faye’s cocoon. She tried to sense her energy within, tried to see within her to find what it was her mother knew, to know for certain. “Are you saying,” Monara said, “that Faye is one of the Glints?” How could that be? Why would it be something for Faye to keep secret, rather than receiving the respect of the people of both worlds?

“The day you brought her before me,” Queen Avonia said, drawing closer, “I sensed your arrival at the building. I sensed the human you dragged in. And within her, I sensed something unusual. The filthy anima of her world, the energy of a human. Yet within that anima was a faint spark, a glint of ether. The energy of our world, of magic itself. Never before had I seen such within one of their world. There was only one possibility I could imagine.”

Monara had never sensed that within Faye. She could recognize the ether of those from her world nearby, and feel the presence of close humans, though she had never been able to distinguish Faye from any other human. She had never sensed anything different from her…

Her antennae drooped as she reflected over her mother’s words on humankind. She started to turn herself, but could not bring herself to look upon one who said such terrible things. “Mother,” she said, “is that why you encouraged me to tell Faye about becoming a chrysidean? Because you did not want me cherishing a human?”

“My daughter,” the queen replied, “surely you realize that it will be your duty to unite with another chrysidean, to become a leader of our people and continue the Goddess’s lineage one day. This way, you may have your Faye and fulfill your duty without shaming our line, and your Faye shall be freed from whatever attachment she had to her pitiful humanity.”

That was not what Faye had wanted, and Monara had told her mother as much. Yet her mother spoke of such with a confidence and certainly that brought a terror deep into Monara’s being. Her antennae sprang up, twitching every few moments. Her wings became as still as ice. She could not contain her voice now. “Mother, what have you done to Faye?”

Queen Avonia’s outspread antennae betrayed a sense of pride, only bringing a stronger tremble to Monara’s antennae. “She chose to become part of our world, one of our people, to leave behind her wretched human past. I only gave her what she desired, my daughter. The memories of her world, the creature she once was, the ones she defended their pitiful existence with—they will not burden her new life.”

That cold, fragile feeling spread throughout Monara’s entire body. The enchantments that her mother had mentioned upon Monara’s own cocoon… “Have you manipulated Faye’s memories, Mother?”

The step Queen Avonia took towards Monara was swift and sharp, far from the elegant stroll her movement usually was. “Would you not agree this is for the best? She will not know any regret or shame of her choice…or even the hypocrisy.” Her sound of amusement rang through the chamber. “Is it not ironic that one who fought to keep her kind from ascending from their miserable existence has chosen to abandon her humanity?”

Monara could no longer look at her mother. “This…is terrible! Please, change what you have done! Or I will myself!”

Her mother’s hand seized the front of her dress, returning Monara’s stare to her mother and her furious antennae. “So you would turn your back on your duty to your people, all for your affections towards a human? A traitor to her own kind?”

“Do not speak of Faye that like that!” Monara shouted at her mother.

That grip released her, and Queen Avonia turned to Faye’s cocoon. Her lower arms crossed, while her upper hands rested upon the silken shell. “Then perhaps you need to be shown how little all of humankind’s ‘discoveries’ mean before our magic. And perhaps your precious Faye will show you that.”

A sensation of plummeting into endless nothingness enveloped Monara. “What do you mean?”

“The new memories I forged for her knew little and thought lowly of the human world. I could just as easily remake her as a soldier of our people, unknowing of the peace between our worlds…and tasked to destroy humankind without mercy.” Her mother’s lips curled, as if she was trying to smile like a human. “How fitting for a traitor to her kind.”

That neverending void seemed to swallow up all of Monara’s being. “Mother…no! No, I will not allow this!”

Hands seized all four of Monara’s from either side. Her mother’s retainers had taken a tight grip on her limbs. “My servants,” Queen Avonia said, “my daughter has decided to rebel against her queen, the descendant of the Goddess and bearer of her will. She may await the return of her love from the human world in a cell. If her love does return.”

The crimson-winged retainer to her left said, “Do not resist.”

“We will not hesitate to strike,” spoke the azure-winged retainer, “in the name of our Queen.”

Monara looked to each of them, then back to her mother. A cruel mockery of a human smile twisted her face, a visage as wicked as many she’d seen in human media. Behind Avonia was Faye’s cocoon, her love and friend still dormant within…

Her thoughts turned to the window just outside of the chamber. With a strong flap of her wings, Monara conjured two pulse of energy, one to each side. The retainer to her left lost her hold, but the one on the right seized Monara again quickly.

Before either of them could strike, Monara twisted her body away, pulling herself loose from the other retainer’s hold. Both retainers shouted after her; her mother remained silent.

Monara ran into the corridor, her wings in flutter before she made her leap. Her previous flights from the tower had been started with caution, to avoid damaging her wings. They brushed against the edges of the window now, but it did not injure her. Flapping her wings as fast as she could, Monara soared away from the castle. She veered towards the road into the chrysidean abode at first, but realizing her mother’s soldiers could be in pursuit, Monara swooped to her right into the woods.

She flew farther and farther, her mind too burdened to try to sense any presence behind her. Her focus wavered, and as she narrowly avoided a massive tree, Monara slowed into a steady descent. She touched down softly upon the forest floor, only to fall onto her knees a moment later. Her antennae rose, sensing the flourishing ether of the forest all around her. The occasional creature of the woods wandered into her perception, but she could sense no chrysideans around her. Either none had pursued her, or the life of the forest masked their presence, just as it would mask her own.

The words her mother had spoken flooded into her thoughts. Monara could not bring herself back to her feet. She had fled. She had abandoned Faye, left her in the hold of one who had such vile intentions for her. How could it have been her mother who could do something so terrible, to one her daughter cherished? Or was this who her mother truly was, always had been, and that truth had been taken away from Monara’s memories?

To think Faye was one of the Glints, those who had not only saved humankind but had planted the seeds of peace between their people and those of Monara’s world. She doubted her mother was wrong, and she believed it herself from what she knew of Faye.

Her triumph must have seemed impossible to her then, yet she had prevailed.

And Monara had abandoned her.

Monara remained still, immobile, her antennae drooped before her face. How long would it be until Faye’s metamorphosis was complete, until she emerged from her cocoon—not as the one Monara cared for, but nothing but a weapon of her mother? If she tried to return, to rally others against the queen, would her mother simply destroy Faye’s cocoon, ending her life? If she did nothing, what would befall Faye…and what would happen between their worlds? What could she do to save Faye, to stop what her mother now plotted?

In the darkest moment of Monara’s life, as she sat still, burdened by sorrow, by fear, by hatred towards herself…one glint of light came to her thoughts.

There had been five. Five humans who had fought against the invaders of their world. Five Glints who had ventured into the Outsider world to confront the Enlightened Dynast.

So there were four others who possessed the same power, the same valour, as Faye.

But how could she find them? She did not have any idea of who they could be. The two friends Faye had introduced her to…could they have also been her allies? Even if they were, Monara knew nothing of how to find them, how to reach them.

Yet no other option remained. Monara slowly rose to her feet, her wings feeling as heavy as stone. She still managed to take flight through the woods, soaring around tree trunks and between branches. Still no pursuers attempted to stop her. The guards stationed at the portal…would they suspect anything, refuse to allow her return without Faye?

It did not matter. She had defied their laws once for Faye already.


	22. News

Monara’s flight back to the portal between worlds was her fastest ever, one she did not slow for even a moment. When several winged beasts had approached, swooping towards her, she repulsed them with a blast of magic without diverting from her path. The other creatures kept their distance afterwards.

Esperites fluttered all around the portal. Though they would not approach, one errant glimpse would betray the dread and guilt within Monara. She descended straight for the portal platform, intent on not waiting for any of the guards to approach. One duneyrr did dash up to the portal as Monara landed and raised her arms. “Why have you returned without the human you brought into our world?”

She beat her wings, releasing ether and kindling the portal between worlds. The violet aura grew all around her. “Answer immediately!” the duneyrr behind her shouted.

His words went unheeded. Monara expected him to try to stop her, but soon her world faded away into etherlight. Her head remained bowed during the transfer between worlds, weighted by thoughts of her mother’s plot for Faye. What if it was exposed before Monara could gather Faye’s fellow Glints? What if she could not gather them before Faye was reborn as a mere instrument of her mother’s will?

The portal had never seemed to take longer than it did in this moment, but at last the violet energy began to fade away to the buildings and clear sky of the human world. She stood within the portal courtyard, surrounding by tall walls, the entrance into the Outsider Embassy before her.

She could not walk inside without Faye. They would realize something was wrong, that her companion was missing. Already, a man in a black suit was stepping outside, approaching her. “Monara?” he said, climbing the steps. “Where’s the woman you took with you?”

Could the Embassy staff help her find the other Glints? Or was it a chance she could not risk? How else would she contact the Glints? How did humans inform each other of events?

The answer quickly came to mind. What Faye had mentioned hearing much about Outsider events from. The news. She had to find the news.

“Monara?” the Embassy agent asked again. “What’s going on?”

Her wings began to beat, but the air of the human world was too heavy for her to take flight. Ether leaking through from the dormant portal flowed into her wings as they flapped. Perhaps with some aid…

“Stand back,” she said to the man before her.

He recoiled, and was about to speak when Monara released a pulse of magic downward. Coupled with the beating of her wings, she was launched upwards, landing atop the archway over the portal. The agent shouted something at her, but she did not heed his words as she again propelled herself into the air, landing upon the tall wall around the Embassy. She jumped down, landing on a pathway behind the building.

She could not hesitate. Before anyone could arouse panic or suspicion, Monara headed for the nearby street, hoping to lose anyone following her in the flow of humans roaming the city.

The difficulty of such never crossed her mind, as occupied as it was.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

To her relief, the humans on the sidewalk that Monara questioned did not seem distressed or alarmed by her inquiries. The news, they explained, came from many places, one of which was called the Celsius Station. One older man explained that it was on Stark Street, and even gave directions to Monara, thought he did ask what her interest in the news was. “I have a friend who shares the news with people,” Monara invented. “They offered to show me how the news is made.” The man seemed a bit confused by her story, but said nothing else as she walked away.

Soon, she found a grey building nestled between larger structures, bearing a cloud symbol with the words _Celsius News_ underneath near its peak. Monara entered into a room with several humans at desks with computers and a few more standing about. Some of them stared at Monara, shocked and confused by her presence. She looked about, unsure of who to speak with.

One woman behind a desk slowly stood up. “Um, may I help you?”

Walking over to the woman, Monara said, “I apologize for my interruption, but I must send some news.”

Lowering her eyes, the woman said, “I’m…sorry…I don’t think we can help you. We talk about current events here. The news is not for contacting other people.”

“Please understand,” Monara said, “this is an urgent matter.”

“Is something happening?” The woman leaned forward. “The evening news broadcast is live at the moment, but if you wish to share something, we could perhaps inform one of our anchors, and they could talk about it in a future newscast.”

This could not wait until the future. “Please, I must send a message immediately.”

The woman straightened herself up, though it seemed little like an attempt to intimidate Monara. “Miss…um…that is not how the news works. I am afraid that you must leave. If you do not, I will be forced to call security.”

Monara took a step back, glancing to all of the doors in her sight. What if, in trying to warn the other Glints, she caused yet another incident between worlds?

“Excuse me,” said a man in black who had been standing nearby. “It’s time for you to leave.”

“I am sorry,” Monara said, her voice rising, “but I must send a message now.”

The man reached for Monara, but she drew away. With a flap of her wings, a wall of faint light appeared between them,blocking the man from touching her again. “Hey!” the security man shouted. “Someone, c-call the police!”

“I am sorry!” Monara shouted aloud. Her barrier faltered as she hurried towards the nearest doors. No one pursued her—out of fear, she imagined.

Walking down the hallway within, Monara looked to all of the doors near her. One pair of doors had an illuminated sign above them that read _LIVE_. The woman had said that the news was currently live, so was it being given within that room?

Monara opened the door. One side of the room was filled with men operating devices Monara did not know. The other side had a wall like a cloudy sky, with a woman who now faced Monara with a wide-open mouth. “Um…” she said, glancing to the devices opposite her.

“Please,” Monara said aloud, “I must send a message! I do not wish to cause harm. I have an important message to send.”

She turned between both sides of the room. Everyone present stared at her with surprise and shock. Monara walked forward and asked, “Where must I stand? Where must I speak to?”

The woman behind the desk pointed to a large camera operated by two men. “C-Camera 2, right over there,” she said.

Standing in front of where the woman had pointed, Monara held both pairs of hands together as she spoke. “I am sorry for this,” Monara said, “but it is an urgent matter. This is a warning I must share.”

She looked back to the door she had entered through, fearing that the guards were about to burst through. No one entered. Turning back to Camera 2, Monara said, “This is a plea to the ones who brought peace between my world and yours. The Glints who defeated the mastermind of the invasion of your world. I need your help.”

Behind her, the woman behind the desk said, “Keep the cameras rolling!”

“A new threat has arisen,” Monara continued. “One who wishes to shatter the peace between our worlds.”

The people operating the machines all glanced over them, staring with fear. Monara checked the door once more, then said, “You are the only ones who can help us. And it is much more than the peace between our worlds that is at risk. Through my actions, one of your own has fallen into incredible danger. I am sorry for what I have done, and I believe that her former companions are the only ones who can save her and protect the peace between our worlds. Please, I plead of you to help. Please.”

She shook, her head and antennae lowering. Once she gathered herself, Monara looked over her shoulder to the man behind her. “I am sorry for my intrusion.”

The doors into the room burst open, with several men in blue uniforms entering. In their hands were human firearms, handguns pointed at Monara. “Don’t move!” one of them shouted.

“R-raise your hands! Where we can see them!” another called out.

Despite her wishes, Monara knew that she had indeed caused yet another incident in trying to correct her first mistakes.

Not wanting to anger these people further, Monara raised all four of her hands.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

A long, happy sigh escaped Elia’s throat as she kicked off her shoes. Her work day had been…interesting. A sylphid had visited the pool, curious about swimming but worried about drowning. Elia had volunteered to help him learn how to swim, but as it turned out, drowning wasn’t much of a concern for a being so light that they couldn’t submerge themselves in water despite their best efforts. She didn’t want to laugh about it, but the sylphid himself seemed quite amused.

Faye would have interested in the story, but…Faye hadn’t answered Elia’s calls and texts for a week. She’d even gone down to Faye’s apartment to check if she’d gotten home yet, but received no answer. Faye had said that she was visiting family; perhaps something had happened and she couldn’t respond.

Worrying about Faye sapped her enthusiasm for dinner, and she no longer felt like reheating last night’s spaghetti. She parked herself on her couch with the saucepan, turning on the TV. The weatherman gave the weekend’s weather report, predicting rain for most of the next week; Elia didn’t mind at all. Her friends had always joked that she would prefer to live underwater, and perhaps there was some truth to that.

The news swapped over to the anchorwoman talking about traffic congestion. Elia’s focus drifted down to the spaghetti twirled around her fork.

As she chewed, the anchorwoman suddenly stopped halfway through the story. She held a hand to her ear, as if receiving some kind of breaking news. “ _Excuse me?_ ” she said. “ _My apologies for the interruption, viewers…_ ”

Her head quickly turned to the right, prompted by some noise and a voice offscreen. Elia lowered the saucepan, leaning forward. The voice asked something, and the anchorwoman nervously replied, “ _C-Camera 2, right over there…_ ”

The moment that a blurry bluish-violet shape stepped before the camera, the saucepan fell out of Elia’s lap, scattering cold spaghetti upon the carpet.

Even if it hadn’t been for the voice that followed, Elia knew who it was just by the colour, by the circumstances. It couldn’t be any sort of coincidence that this was happening right when Faye had stopped responding to her and Caitlyn.

On the television, Monara said, “ _I am sorry for this, but it is an urgent matter. This is a warning I must share._ ”

Elia felt sick to her stomach. This…this wasn’t happening, was it?

Coldness flooded Elia’s veins, like ice water supplanting her blood. At first, she lost track of what Monara said, even mere seconds after she spoke the words, but one sentence snapped Elia back into reality.

“ _Through my actions, one of your own has fallen into incredible danger._ ”

She would have collapsed had she been standing. Any doubt she had vanished from her mind. It couldn’t be anyone but Monara there on the news. And she couldn’t have been talking about anyone but Faye.

What did Monara mean? What threat did she speak of? How could they prepare for an enemy they knew nothing of?

But that didn’t matter at all, did it? They’d already managed that once before.

Elia fumbled with her pocket, finding her phone. She scrolled through her contacts, quickly deciding on her first call.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

“…based on those three applications of our new patented technology,” Holly said, pressing the button to show the next slide to the assembled investors and executives, “our profits from our current project are estimated to exceed seven million dollars.”

Holly’s phone vibrated again in her suit pocket. She ignored it, continuing her presentation under the watchful eye of CEO Tyler Lewis from the back of the room. Her confident and strong voice commanded attention, and didn’t waver no matter how much her phone softly rumbled in her pocket.

Once she finished her presentation, Tyler Lewis rose from his seat and joined Holly. “Thank you, Miss Smith.” Turning to the investors, Lewis said, “In conclusion, I hope your fears regarding our latest advancements in lithium battery technology have been addressed. We have great confidence in the future and our work here at Powerwell, and we look forward to you joining us in that bright future. Thank you for your time, everyone.”

The muffled sound of Holly’s phone vibrating continued within her suit pocket. Glancing to her, Tyler Lewis whispered, “Expecting a call?”

“No, sir, sorry,” she answered. “Someone keeps calling.”

“Go answer it,” he said, gesturing with his elbow towards the nearest door. “Might be an emergency.”

“Thank you, sir.” With a nod, Holly hurried out into the hallway. She pulled out her phone, stopping in her tracks as she read the name on the screen.

Holly glanced around, then headed for the nearest women’s restroom. Taking a quick look around to make sure no one was in any of the stalls, she held up her phone as it began to vibrate again. She answered it and said, “Elia, what’s going on?”

“ _Holly! Thank goodness I got through to you! Something terrible is about to happen!_ ”

If Elia was calling her about it, it could only pertain to one thing. “Something from the other side?”

“ _Yes, Holly! An Outsider was on the news, warning us, asking for our help. She…she said one of us was in danger. Holly, I think something’s happened to Faye._ ”

Her grip tightened on her phone. “What?” Hadn’t she told Faye…?

“ _The Outsider on the news was the one Faye befriended, the chrysidean I told you about. Holly, we have to get ready! Faye needs our help!_ ”

Holly lowered her head, keeping herself from sighing. Someone could walk in right at any moment, overhear her. At least the bathroom cameras didn’t have audio.

“ _Holly?_ ” Elia cried. “ _Can…can you help?_ ”

That sigh made its way out anyway. “I have to finish up at work,” Holly answered. “I’ll call back as soon as I can, okay?”

“ _Holly!_ ” Elia’s voice pleaded.

“I can’t just vanish from work just like that.” Unexplained absences from her job would be far more consequential than missing classes. “Let the others know. Once I’m done, I’ll call back. Okay?”

A second passed before Elia’s response. “ _O-okay, Holly. I’ll get on it._ ”

Elia hung up without another word. Holly stared at her phone for a few moments longer, her brow furrowed, before slipping it away. How long had it been now? Five years? Five years without endless crises dragging her along, forcing her into danger time and time again. It had ended. It was supposed to _stay_ ended.

…what had Faye done now? What had she gotten herself into?

A groan left her throat as she checked herself in the mirror. The face that greeted her was perfectly-groomed, neat and tidy. The person she remembered from the past, the heroine she used to be…

It didn’t matter. Holly made sure her expression was calm and collected before leaving the washroom. The past had given her plenty of practice at that.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

Duncan must have been staring at her. He never ceased to make jokes about her taking naps with her sunglasses on. Last time, he’d asked why she needed a pillow when her shades worked fine. Lyris just couldn’t nap with light in her eyes, no matter how sleepy the motions of flight made her.

Though she liked to fantasize that she needed every second of snooze she could get—every _Phantom Second_ of snooze, even—it wasn’t like she’d been hit over the head with the hammer of jet lag. It was just frequent flights all over the country, between shindigs and talk shows. At least, by the end of the month, she’d be home in Garden City. She’d hang out with her friends, watch her movie with them, maybe even see how everything was going with the Outsiders now living there.

As if thinking about home conjured a call, her mother’s voice began to sing from the cellphone in her sweater. Lyris kept her eyes closed; she never received any urgent calls on her personal number, anyway. Urgent calls were Duncan’s job.

“Lyris,” she heard Duncan speak as he nudged her shoulder. “Lyris, your phone’s ringing.”

He meant well, and always did well by her. But he was the sort of person who probably couldn’t bring himself to hang up on a telemarketer. Stifling a yawn with her forearm, Lyris pulled out her phone. The lyrics of Sonia Michaels’s chart-topping single, “Blessed to Meet”, had since stopped playing. A voice-mail icon flashed on the screen. Tapping the screen, Lyris lifted the phone to her ear.

The moment she heard and recognized the voice, she sat up, her sunglasses slipping off of her nose.

“ _Lyris, it’s Elia. I know you might be busy with stuff, but…something bad is about to happen in Garden City. An Outsider warned us about a new threat, and told us that one of us is in danger—I’m positive it’s Faye. I…I hope you can make it back to help. We need you. Faye needs you. If…if you can’t make it…I-I’m sorry…_ ”

The voice-mail cut off abruptly, leaving Lyris staring at the back of the seat in front of her. “Something amiss, Miss Daniels?” Duncan asked.

Lyris slowly tucked her phone back into her pocket. “Duncan?”

“Yes, Lyris?”

For a moment, she thought about the countless obligations that would need to be cancelled. But that hesitation vanished as soon as it came. “Duncan, I need you to book the first available flight to Garden City.”

“Garden City? Huh? That’s at the end of the month, Lyris. We’ll be there eventu—”

“Cancel everything, Duncan,” she told him. “My most sincere apologies, et cetera. I need you to get me to Garden City as soon as you can. Now…please.”

He stared in disbelief, like a deer caught in headlights. “Uh…okay, okay, Miss Daniels. If you say so…”

Lyris picked up her sunglasses from her lap and put them in her pocket. How much longer would this flight take, let alone the one back home?

When she looked back to Duncan, he had opened his laptop. Rather than sending the necessary emails, Duncan had opened a browser window and searched for _garden city news_. She noticed the first item on the page. “Umm…” Duncan uttered, slowly turning towards her.

Lyris tapped him on the shoulder. “Look, Duncan,” she said quietly but firmly. “I trust you with a great many of my personal secrets. This is but another one of them. Do you understand?”

Duncan needed a moment to force out a nod. “Yeah, yeah, boss…of course. Not a word.”

Lyris smiled. “Thank you, Duncan. I’d hate to ruin my day with a lawsuit against a friend.”

Duncan gave a forced chuckle. Though Lyris put her sunglasses back on, somehow she no longer had any desire to nap the flight away.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

Classical music filled the air from the radio behind Caitlyn as she watched over her bubbling chicken stew. The aroma was delightful, once Caitlyn wished she could bottle up and savour in her home for a few days. Every now and then, a squeak accompanied the violins, not from the radio but from Puplyn enjoying a rubbery bone. 

Her phone started to ring. Puplyn barked once, as if she needed further alert. She smiled as she took out her phone, seeing Elia’s name. Stepping back from the stove, she answered and said, “Hello, Elia!”

“ _Cait,_ ” came Elia’s voice, in a panicked tone that gave Caitlyn goosebumps, “you haven’t seen the news, have you?”

The news? She hadn’t watched it in… “N-no…why?”

“ _Cait, Monara was on the news. Faye’s Outsider friend. She was warning us about a new threat from her world._ ”

Caitlyn felt her legs weaken beneath her. Her free hand steadied herself upon her counter, while her head began to spin. “You…you mean…”

“ _Cait, I know how you feel, but we—_ ”

“I know. We have to…” She slumped down against her counter, her phone almost falling out of her hand. Puplyn hurried over, still with his toy in his mouth. “I…I know…”

“ _It’s more than that, Cait. I think Faye’s in danger._ ”

The feeling of being on the verge of fainting vanished in an instant, and now Caitlyn felt wide-awake. “What?”

“ _Monara said that one of us was in terrible danger. It has to be Faye. We haven’t heard from her in a week._ ”

Heavy breaths rose from Caitlyn’s chest. She held the phone away from her face, not wanting Elia to hear. “ _Cait, I’m really sorry to have to put you through this, but we really need your help. I know you’re strong enough to handle this. We need you. Faye needs you._ ”

For a moment, a doubtful voice snapped in the back of Caitlyn’s mind. Strong? _Strong_? How many weekends had Elia needed to take her useless paranoid friend out grocery shopping, just because the sight of innocent beings paralyzed her with fear? How many weekends had _Faye_ been forced to come help? What plans did she ruin, how could they put up with her, why did Elia even think she’d be helpful, why…

A moment from the past flashed in her eyes. Waking from what had seemed then like a horrifying nightmare, only to see four masked women sitting by her, wearing the strangest outfits she’d ever seen. The one who stood out the most in that memory now was the one who’d worn a butterfly-esque mask, the face she now recognized instantly, with or without the mask…

“ _Cait? Please…_ ”

Caitlyn brought her phone closer. The voice that came out was stronger than she’d expected herself. “Of course. I’ll be ready.”

“ _Thank you, Cait. I’ll be in touch when I know more._ ”

Before Caitlyn could speak another word, Elia ended the call. Puplyn nestled against her side, rolling over onto his back.

She needed to calm her breathing before she called up Scott. Her free hand found Puplyn’s belly, rubbing it as she waited for the response. “ _Hey, Cait!_ ”

“Scott?” Caitlyn said. She didn’t sound terrified, to her surprise. “I might need to be out of town for a few days. If I gave you my house key, would you be able to look after Puplyn?”

“ _Oh, I can take care of him at my place if you need me to. No problem._ ”

“Really? That’d…that’d work.” She just hoped that Puplyn wouldn’t poop on Scott’s floors. “Thank you, Scott. I’ll let you know when, okay?”

“ _Okay, Cait. See you at work!_ ”

She couldn’t make that promise. “Thank you, Scott. Bye.”

He ended the call. Caitlyn pushed herself off of the floor, her pulse still pounding in her ears. She stood by the sink, catching her breath.

She wasn’t a religious person by any means, though she always figured some higher power was responsible for her and her friends’ powers. In this moment, she placed a hand to her chest, whispering something between a hope and a prayer. To whom, she didn’t know. “Please, Faye…please be alright, Faye…”


	23. Memories

The human police escorted Monara outside of the Celsius Station, where many more officers awaited alongside a large grey van. Two avalerions clad in brown tunics stood by the back of the van, glaring at Monara as she stepped outside.

A man in a black suit approached, displaying his identification to the police officers. “We’re with the Outsider Embassy. We’ll be taking her into our custody.”

The two avalerions approached. Each clutched one of Monara’s arms on each side in their talons, pulling her towards the back of the van. She made no effort to resist their lead. Both opened up the doors, pushing her inside before entering themselves.

Monara would have imagined the use of magic to restrain those who had caused an incident in the human world. But neither of the avalerions bound her in any way as they entered after her. The man in black entered the front of the van, driving away from the Celsius Station. None of the three whom held her in their captivity said a word to Monara.

What fate awaited her did not matter now. Even if it would cost her her very life, all she cared for was whether her message had reached those it was intended for.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

Once the vehicle came to a stop, the two avalerions exited the back of the van first. Monara climbed out into a large underground room with many stationary cars, as well as a number of human and Outsider guards approaching them.

One of them was the guard who’d tried to stop Monara when she had returned from the Outsider world. His pace hastened into a sprint. “Monara, what the hell is going on?”

Behind him, the avalerion Helfeirch advanced, long step by long step, with the esperite Io close behind. His burning eyes fixed upon Monara. “As the human has said, Monara,” Lleuad bellowed, “what in all the hells of humanity have you done?”

Monara’s antennae drooped. Her wings trembled from the fury in Lleuad’s voice. “This is all my fault, Helfeirch,” she said. “My mother manipulated me. She knew more about Faye than I did. I never imagined she would—”

Lleuad stepped past the other guards, advancing on Monara as if he was about to seize hold of her, “You will explain your role in all of this. You will tell me _everything_ that has happened!”

“Of course I will.” Though she was prepared to heed the Helfeirch’s demands, a sudden fear struck her, springing her antennae upward. “Helfeirch, has word of this returned into our world? If my mother learns—”

“Not a word has passed between our worlds,” Lleuad replied. “None have been permitted to return or enter.”

The Embassy agent raised a hand. “Helfeirch, sir,” he said, “we have many questions to ask her as well. Let us discuss this inside.”

Monara imitated the human gesture of nodding, unable to speak a word. Surrounded by Embassy staff and the Guardant, Monara followed the human and the Helfeirch out of the garage.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

Monara made no attempt to conceal her inner thoughts from the esperite that remained fixed before her during her questioning. Once neither the humans nor the Helfeirch had anything more to ask, Lleuad seized Monara by one of her wrists, pulling her out of the room. With Io by his side, he led Monara down into the basement of the Embassy. “Until we understand what is going on,” Lleuad said, pushing open a thick metal door, “you will remain here. We cannot risk further chaos in Garden City.”

“I understand, Helfeirch,” Monara replied. Her antennae were lowered as she entered the room, a simple cell with only a plain bed for furnishing. “I promise you, I did not know my mother’s intentions. I did not knowingly deliver Faye into her hands.”

The avalerion continued to glare at her through the doorway. Io swayed away from him towards Monara, almost as if cowering, while Lleuad clenched his fist. In an instant, he slammed it against the open door. The thick metal broke free from the hinges, crashing into the wall and floor in the hallway with a massive boom. Monara recoiled, staring at the Helfeirch’s trembling hand. Even the esperite was now hiding behind Monara. “Lleuad, I am sorry.”

The avalerion’s entire body shook. “How did I let that chrysidean fool me?” he roared. “To force away my hand, to convince me that she was no longer the foul schemer I knew her to be?”

Monara’s antennae rose. “Lleuad, you had always held suspicion towards my mother? Did you believe I shared her hatred?”

The avalerion straightened himself up, his fist still clenching and shaking. “Yes and yes. I believed you would have inherited your mother’s views on humanity, masked them as well as she did. When we learned that your friend was one of the Glints, we feared that you had discovered that and sought to manipulate her.”

In an instant, the knowledge of how Lleuad had discovered that fact came to her. It was right here in the room with her. “It was Io. She saw the magic in Faye, at the Theater.”

The esperite teleported over to Lleuad, still keeping her distance from him while his gaze shifted towards her. “Indeed,” Lleuad said. “I had tasked Io with supervising your meetings with the human. She could not see much from afar, but noticed that the human’s spirit lifted in your presence, and dampened upon parting. We suspected you had enchanted the human in some way.”

It was just as Faye had spoken of her work and ordinary life. Had it really been enough to make her wish to abandon her humanity? “So that was why you had the Guardant speak to Faye.”

“Which you told your mother of,” Lleuad said. “Do not deny it. She came to us, furious—or pretending to be, as I know now. She demanded that we leave you and your friend alone, insisting that the past was the past and that…that many of our people no longer held the same thoughts towards humankind as we once had.” Monara did not speak a word here, but understood all too well why her mother’s argument had struck Lleuad so. “So I ordered the Guardant to leave you and your friend alone. Even when I suspected the worst over her invitation of your friend to our world, I could not speak out against it. I…had no right to question the intention she held in the present.”

The avalerion turned towards the exit of the room. “Lleuad,” Monara said, “I do not hold the same beliefs as my mother. I have not meant for any of this to happen. Do you believe me so?”

He did not turn around to answer. “I shall believe what I witness. All that I know is that a human being taken into our world to be turned into one of our kind shall cause great fear among humankind. It may shatter the potential for peace we once held. And regardless of their intentions, the one responsible must be held accountable.”

Monara sat down onto the plain bed in the room, her head and antennae lowering. “I understand, Helfeirch.”

Without another word, Lleuad departed. Io floated before Monara, staring at her. Though the esperite had kept her own thoughts and emotions hidden from Monara during the interrogation, now she sensed a hint of pity, crossed with a deep terror within the little being. With a flash of light, it vanished from the room.

The broken door remained on the floor. No barriers or wards impeded the exit.

But no magic could have held her as still in her place as the sorrow and guilt upon her mind.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

With no window to judge the sun’s position, Monara had no idea how much time passed. Thoughts of Faye, nestled in her cocoon, plagued the chrysidean. She’d been so eager to watch Faye emerge, to teach her about her new existence, to show her their home and the world she would be part of.

If she had never told Faye about becoming a chrysidean, all of this would have never ensued. If her mother harmed Faye, or Faye could not be saved from her mother’s enchantment, then it would have been Monara’s actions that led to the destruction of an innocent human’s life, all out of her own infatuation…

“Monara!”

Her head rose at the sound of Lleuad’s bellow. The avalerion stood at the doorway, clad in a polished green-tinted chestplate. “Come. Immediately!”

Monara rose to her feet, her antennae still lowered. The Helfeirch said no more as he led her to the stairwell.

As they climbed, amid the usual medley of familiar ether auras that usually filled the Embassy…Monara sensed an unusual presence. Several unusual presences. Powerful auras, but ones unlike any she had ever known. Ones unlike those of her own world…

She would have run ahead of Lleuad had his large form not taken up most of the staircase. The beings awaited them within the lobby; when Monara entered, she turned to the source of the auras, her antennae rising both with her spirits and from the ether the four humans before her radiated.

The first approached, clad in a red-and-pink dress covered in the front with a red apron. Green leafy gloves adorned her hands, a mask like leaves surrounded her red eyes, and a single leaf topped locks of red flecked with yellow. “I am Gala,” she said, a steely stare meeting Monara’s eyes. “We heard your call.”

The next to advance was dressed in a costume made of many translucent layers of blue, the shimmering fabric resembling the sparkling surface of water. An azure eye met Monara; the right eye was concealed by a patch of silver-blue beneath her goggles. “I’m Selkie,” she said, bearing a small but confident smile. “We’ve come to help.”

The third woman stepped forward. Her elegant black mask was framed with silver and adorned with a single feather. It reminded Monara of masks associated with human operas. Unlike her companions, the skirt of her black dress nearly reached the floor, with silver lace patterns along the edges. “I am called Starlet,” she said, raising a hand before her. “To defend the peace between worlds is our duty.”

The last woman, the smallest of the four, took her step forth. Her tan mask bore large ear-like shapes on the top corners, protruding through messy beige hair. Her clothes were tan and fur-like, with white tufts around her shoulders, wrists, ankles, and waist. Though her head rose slowly and her gaze didn’t quite land upon Monara, the pale-yellow eyes behind the mask bore the same determination. “I’m Fennec!” she declared, forcing her voice out. “And we’re here to save our friend!”

The hope Monara had clung to, the one thing that had given her the will to continue despite all she had done, had been answered. Before she could find the words to thank the Glints for coming, Lleuad replied first. “Never did I believe I would have the honour of standing before the Glints once more. Even I am forever in your favour. I am Lleuad, Helfeirch of the avalerions, and it is an honour to meet you. I wish the circumstances were more favourable.”

“That feeling is mutual,” the woman in red, Gala, replied. She turned to Monara. “You were the one who called for us, right? What has happened to our friend, Papillon?”

Monara had heard that word before, but she knew no one by that name. Did they mean Faye? Her mother had mentioned “titles”…were the names these four gave them such names? Titles to conceal their true identities?

Though she wanted—she needed—to tell them of her mother’s intentions, thinking of it all overwhelmed her with guilt. She was responsible for all of this, yet Faye’s allies spoke to her as if she was without blame.

Before she could answer, the doors behind them into the courtyard opened. Monara knew the cnidarian that entered—her friend Cerua. “Helfeirch,” Cerua said, as Monara noticed the tears on the arm of Cerua’s suit, “a chrysidean has launched an attack on the portal.”

A chrysidean? Monara felt that sensation of plummetting into the abyss once more. Lleuad approached the checkpoint, pushing the door out of his way. “And the portal guard?”

“The attacker wounded several of them. The rest stood against the chrysidean while I came through the portal to send warning.”

Monara glanced back to Faye’s allies, all of whom had stepped forward. What would they think when they learned of who this chrysidean surely was?

“The others will be in position,” Lleuad said, turning back to the Glints. “We shall entrust you to confront this attacker, while the others ensure that they do not escape.”

“The others?” asked Selkie.

“When Monara warned us of Queen Avonia’s plot,” Lleuad said, “many of the Outsiders residing here in your world came to us, offering to help. They are standing guard around the Embassy, alongside human police to keep civilians at bay.”

“We’d better hurry,” Starlet said, “if this enemy is about to enter.”

“Come on!” Gala said, beckoning to the others.

The avalerion stepped aside as the four Glints ran into the courtyard. With that feeling of falling forever and ever only worsening, Monara followed behind the four.

As they climbed the steps towards the portal, a violet glow emanated from beneath the archway. “Get ready!” Gala cried, as the four stood in different stances, their ether welling in preparation to attack.

Did they plan to strike as soon as their foe appeared? “Wait!” Monara said, walking around them.

“What?” Gala said, glaring at Monara.

When Monara turned back to the portal, the outline of a chrysidean had appeared within the purple veil. The ether of the portal faded away, leaving the chrysidean standing before them in the human world.

Monara could not utter a single word at the sight. The chrysidean’s fur was a dark brown, almost black. Her wings were a beautiful orange, with black veins and a band of black spotted with white around the edges. Though she had seen such a pattern on pictures of butterflies in this world, no chrysidean Monara knew from her home bore such wings.

And no chrysidean Monara had known wore the dress she had woven for Faye’s metamorphosis.

She advanced. “Faye!”

“Faye?” two of the Glints said—one sharp voice and one gasp-like squeak.

As Monara reached the top step, Faye began to beat her wings. All four hands thrust forward, the ether gathered around her launching forth in a wave that knocked Monara down the steps.

While she pushed herself up, Gala said, “It…no, it’s not…”

“W-whoever it is,” Selkie said, putting one foot back, “we have to stop them!”

Selkie sprang forth, wreathed in swirling water at she flew at Faye. Her body stopped several feet from Faye, but the torrent of water continued forward. But Faye conjured a barrier of force to deflect the water—force that then pulsed forward at Selkie, throwing her body over Monara’s head.

As Monara steadied herself on her feet, Faye was already to her right, dashing towards Starlet. Though the ether around the Glint was remarkable, the pulse of force that erupted beneath her knocked Starlet off of her feet and dispelled her gathering energy.

Faye’s feet touched upon the ground as she turned her attention to Fennec. But neither of them acted for a second. The way Faye’s antennae stood told Monara nothing; she could gleam no understanding of what was happening in her friend’s enchanted mind. Yet Fennec’s trembling stance, her wide eyes fixed upon Faye, the hand raised against her chest…

The orange wings flapped faster. Monara’s wings fluttered as she ran forward. “Faye, stop!”

She thrust her hands forward, a barrier of energy forming between Faye and Fennec. Faye turned to Monara—nothing about her gaze reminded Monara of the human she cherished—and directed her welling ether at Monara with a wave of her hand.

As invisible force jerked Monara off of the ground, a shining ball flew past her. It struck Faye, bursting into pink light and scattering white petals, the force knocking Faye onto her hands and knees—and releasing Monara from her telekinetic grasp. To already know the ways of chrysidean magic—her mother must have instilled that knowledge into Faye’s mind.

“That can’t be Faye!” Selkie shouted. “It can’t be Faye!”

Faye’s wings continued to beat while she rose up. “Those wings,” Starlet uttered, “they’re the same as…”

Once more was Monara reminded of falling into a black void. “Her memories have been manipulated,” Monara said aloud. “Whatever my…” She could not speak of her mother now. “…has been done to her, she believes you and all of humankind to be her enemies.”

One of Selkie’s hands tightened into a trembling fist. “I… Faye!” Water surged around her as she dashed forth, stopping a distance from Faye and unleashing torrents with each thrust of her hands.

Faye spun around, her four hands deflecting each jet of water with a focused barrier. When Selkie’s barrage hesitated for a second, those barriers became bolts of energy she released at Selkie, striking the human to the ground.

Then Faye’s attention turned to Starlet, who once more held a hand aloft, ether gathering around her. Just as Faye began to extend her arms, another burst of pink light erupted just before her. She turned to Gala, and so did Monara, catching sight of the apple in her clutch before Gala whipped it at Faye. The apple ricocheted off a conjured barrier, and Monara summoned one of her own just in time, the apple exploding into energy and petals against Monara’s shield.

As the light faded, Faye turned back to Starlet—just as the dark-clad Glint let out a long cry and swung her hand down. The ether pooled around her manifested as a beam of lightning, one Faye blocked…but which broke through her guard, surging through Faye’s body. Monara could sense the power behind the attack, yet Faye made no noise, despite the pain it must have inflicted…

The lightning dissipated, leaving Faye staggered. Selkie cried out as water built up around her, propelling her forward. Just before she struck, Faye straightened up. Her wings beat faster. Her hands lifted up, yanking Selkie out of her jet of water from a distance. Selkie’s body shook—the telekinetic force was drawing inward, upon Selkie, and she screamed out, her cries growing—

“ _Stop!_ ”

It was Fennec who shrieked this out. She lunged forward, not with ether channelled around her. Her hands did not strike Faye, but grabbed one of her arms. “Faye, _please stop_!”

The force crushing upon Selkie dissipated, and the Glint dropped onto her hands and knees. For a moment, Faye’s antennae drooped—Monara was certain she spotted it. Had her fellow Glint’s cry reached beyond Faye’s false memories?

Monara rose to her feet, as Faye’s hesitation vanished. She flung her hands out, launching both Fennec and Selkie back. Monara narrowly dodged Fennec’s body flying towards her, then set her gaze upon Faye once more.

“Wh-what do we do?” Starlet shouted.

Faye’s wings began to flap even faster, almost swift enough to blur in Monara’s vision. Ether welled around her—a growing surge, drawn through the nearby portal.

“We have to get through to her!” Gala cried. “We have to snap her out of this!”

“Whatever she’s doing,” Selkie said, “it’s going to be powerful!”

If there was any power that would shatter the false memories, it was the truth of her past. Only her friends of that time would remind her of who she truly was. If Faye unleashed whatever magic she was charging…

Monara ran forward, using the force of each beat of her wings to steady herself.

Faye lifted her hands.

Monara raised her own just as swirling, crackling beams of energy erupted from Faye’s palms. They would have arced past Monara—at the ones Faye would believed she needed to destroy—if not for Monara reaching out, clutching each beam. Searing pain surged through Monara’s arms, into her torso, until she could focus her ether to push that burning power back to the surface of her palms.

Her wings beat faster and faster, as if she sought to fly, focusing her strength and momentum into pushing forward. The beams of ether threatened to converge into one, and Monara knew she could not defend herself from their combined power. She grunted as she held each beam in her outstretched arms.

One of the Glints shouted her name behind her. Faye’s friends…she could not let them lose Faye, just because of her own foolish actions…

Just as Monara came close to Faye, her strength faltered. The beams in each of her hands broke loose for a moment, and the force emanating from Faye nearly flung Monara away like a leaf in a storm.

Before she could lose her footing, she reached out with her hands.

And caught all four of Faye’s hands.

For a moment, that searing power coursed through Monara’s entire body. When it faded, Monara almost believed it had rendered her unconscious. But her hands still held Faye’s. Faye’s face was before hers…but not the face Monara had grown to recognize. Not a hint of the Faye that Monara knew showed in her now.

But that flash of hesitation when Fennec had clutched her arm prompted Monara to tighten her grip. “Faye,” she said, “you are under my mother’s spell! This is not your true self! Please, remember the true you!”

The energy trapped between their palms threatened to break loose, to surge through Monara without a shred of mercy.

Another hand wrapped around the pair of hands to Monara’s upper-left.

“Faye!” Starlet shouted, clutching their hands tight. “We know you’re in there! You’re our friend, our Papillon! And you know it too!”

A fourth took hold, this time Monara’s lower-right. “We fought to save our world,” Selkie said, “to bring peace—for the good people of both worlds! Together with Outsiders like Monara!”

To Monara’s lower-left, Fennec clung onto their hands with both of hers. “Faye! You’ve always been there for me when I’ve needed you, don’t you remember? We’re here for you! You have to stop this, _please_!”

Gala grabbed the pair of hands to Monara’s upper-right. “We fought the Empress five years ago! We exposed her deceit and saved humankind! And we won’t let _anyone_ do this to one of us!”

The brimming power between Monara and Faye’s hands had weakened. Tightening her grip, feeling the other Glints clutch harder as well, Monara said, “You swore that you would never forget who you were, Faye—who you are. You promised to yourself and your friends that you would not abandon everything you care for. Your friends, your family, the wonders of your world! Faye! Wake up, please!”

Faye’s hands twitched within her fingers. The ether within her being trembled and roiled. Her antennae shuddered and twitched, splaying out as if in anger in one moment and drooping into a sorrowful expression the next.

Each of Faye’s fellow Glints cried out her name, their voices full of passion—and an undeniable hint of fear. Monara followed suit, her own voice lacking the confidence theirs bore.

Within Faye…Monara felt something _change_ deep within her friend.

Second by second passed, until Monara felt the hands against her own go limp. The four Glints released their grips on her hands, catching her as she slumped forward.

“Faye!” Fennec cried out, as Faye lowered further onto her knees, the Glints keeping her from falling further. “Faye, talk to us!”

“Monara,” Starlet said, glancing over her shoulder, “is…is Faye fine now?”

“She’s still…one of her kind,” Gala said, looking back to Monara. “Why hasn’t she changed back?”

Monara knelt before Faye. Though her ether was weak, it was different now…familiar. It was truly Faye before them now. “The spell over her has been broken, yes.”

“But…” Selkie asked, “wouldn’t she have turned back now?”

All of the Glints save for Fennec now turned to her. Monara’s antennae lowered as she searched her thoughts, hoping they would understand Faye’s choice—and that she had known it would be irreversible.

Before she could answer, Gala stood up. “Let’s get her inside. Starlet, give me a hand. Monara…” Gala’s eyes narrowed beneath her mask. “…afterwards, you can explain what’s going on.”

Starlet and Gala lifted Faye up, while Selkie hurried ahead of them to open the doors into the Embassy. Past the two carrying Faye, Monara watched Fennec’s still-wide eyes, staring towards the building but not quite watching her friends. She seemed to notice Monara’s stare out of the corner of her vision, and suddenly hurried after her friends.

Monara followed, her head and antennae hung low. She would not deny her responsibility for everything that had happened to Faye. She could not fault them for their distrust towards her. All she could hope for was that they would believe her words.

Not for her sake, but for Faye’s.


	24. Identities

Some groggy part of Faye realized that something was…off. She didn’t feel her eyes open, as much as her mind slowly beginning to realize what her eyes were seeing. Above her was a white ceiling, with soft lights in place of panels here and there. Her vision seemed distorted, as if she was seeing through a fish-eye lens. Out of the sides of her view, she noticed figures to her left and right, glimpsing only vivid colours. They weren’t, were they…?

Faye tried to yawn, yet no noise came from her throat. No breath rose from within her. She tried to shut her eyes again, only to realize that she… _couldn’t_. She just couldn’t close her eyes, no matter how much she tried—

“I think she’s awake!”

The figures closest on each side grabbed her hands. The one in blue stepped aside, and a face leaned over Faye’s. The red hair and eyes, the leafy mask…how could she be here?

“Papillon,” came Holly’s voice, “is that you? Are you awake? Can you understand me?” She clutched the other hand on Faye’s left side.

…other hand?

The last thing she remembered was…but if that had happened, then how was Holly here? Elia and Lyris next to her too…but not Monara? Why were they in their magical states?

“Faye,” Elia said, her masked face now leaning over Faye as well. “Faye, can you hear us?”

Faye tried to close her eyes again, thinking she’d wake up for real when they opened once more. But she _couldn’t_ , and she couldn’t shake the feeling of the three of them each holding one of her hands, and that didn’t add up…

At last, Faye tried to speak, and had no trouble in doing so. “Gala? Selkie? Starlet? What… _how_ are you here? What’s going on?”

Holly’s eyes narrowed behind her mask. “That’s what we’re wondering.”

Elia took the fingers she held in both hands. “Faye…” she uttered, her voice barely more than a squeak. “Faye…is what Monara said true?”

Had Monara told them? Why? She turned her head, towards Elia and Holly—Selkie and Gala, rather. Between the two, Faye spotted Fennec against the wall, her gaze lowered to the floor. The hand that Selkie held—and the hand that Gala held—were both black, rigid-looking digits attached to arms with brownish fur starting at the forearms.

The fingers that she had felt unconsciously close around her friends’ were chrysidean hands. And so was that hand that Starlet to her right held.

They were Faye’s hands.

So this was how they found out.

It took Faye a while to flex the muscle or instinct that controlled her unheld lower-right hand. She tried to push herself up, but a sharp pain in her back—near her back—stopped her.

“Papi!” Starlet said, taking hold of her other right hand. “Careful! Your wing.”

Along with Selkie, Starlet helped Faye sit up. Gala’s fingers slipped from the hand she held, and she stepped back. Once Faye was upright, she felt the wings on her back spread out, sensation flowing through them like a limb that had fallen asleep.

Even with her head forward, her eyes could see the three heroines standing around her with perfect clarity. Elia clutched the rail on the side of Faye’s bed with one hand, her other hand to her chest. Gala stared at Faye with her brow narrowed and her arms crossed. Only Starlet retook one of her hands, leaning over her. The walls here were plain and sterile, more like some kind of medical room than the chrysidean palace. She didn’t feel the ether of the Outsider world coursing around her, coursing through her, though a faint breeze-like feeling seemed to circulate through and into her wings.

“Papillon,” Gala said, snapping Faye’s focus to her. “Is what Monara told us true? Did you ask her to do this to you?”

She didn’t have to wonder what Monara had told them. They were her friends…or had been, in Holly’s case. Would they believe her when she told them the truth about all of this? Faye tried to take a deep breath, but still couldn’t. Her new self didn’t have need for lungs or oxygen, it seemed.

How Faye would have liked to close her eyes, to not see the looks on her friends’ faces when she answered. “Yes, I did.”

Gala’s eyes widened. Her arms dropped to her sides. “What in the world were you thinking? Did you…did you even think about—”

Before another world could leave Gala, Starlet snapped, “Gala! Take it easy on her. She just woke up.”

“You’re…you’re serious?” Selkie asked. At the same time Gala had reacted, Selkie had recoiled, both of her hands tight against her chest. “You’re…you really mean that, Faye? You’re not still mind-controlled, are you?”

Faye’s head snapped to her left. “What? Mind-control? Wh…what happened?”

She looked between Selkie and Gala. Elia seemed unable to look at Faye, her eye staring away to nothing. Holly held one hand on her hip, her eyes wide with fury. After neither of them answered, Starlet spoke. “Monara told us about everything, and she told us that her mom—”

The nearby door clicked open, with everyone’s attention turning its way. Three people entered, and only the black-suited man did Faye not recognize. The second to enter was Lleuad, the avalerion she’d met at the theater. The third was Monara.

Faye didn’t have a chance to even think before Monara hurried to the end of the bed. “Faye!” Monara cried out. Her two lower hands braced herself upon the corners of the bed while the upper hands rested on Faye’s legs. “Faye, I am sorry. I am so sorry. I am very, very sorry for everything that has happened.” Her antennae hung down over her face, her head tilted enough that Faye couldn’t see her eyes at all.

“Monara…?” Faye asked, sliding herself a touch closer to the chrysidean. What happened?”

Lifting her head but not her antennae, Monara said, “Faye, I am sorry. My mother planned all of this. She realized who you were. She encouraged me to tell you about how you could become one of my kind because of this. She placed an enchantment upon your cocoon, so that she could manipulate your memories.”

“What?” Faye gasped, her voice almost inaudible. She recalled the cocoon Monara had woven, the rest of her visit to the Outsider world…but how had she gotten between there and here? Why were the heroines here?

“Papillon,” Gala said, “Monara’s mother sent you here to attack the human world. Monara sent a warning over the news, and Selkie rounded us up. You came through the portal, under her control, and attacked us.”

Faye’s hands tightened upon the bedsheets—and Starlet’s hand, though she didn’t flinch. What Monara and Gala said, that none of the others denied it…her inability to remember how she’d gotten here. Why couldn’t she remember anything, even what they spoke of, just to know for certain it was the truth? “Please…please tell me I didn’t hurt anyone…”

“The Outsider sentries at the portal were injured,” Lleuad said, “but they will recover.”

“And you gave us a bit of a thumping,” said Starlet, “but we’re fine. It’s you we’re worried about.”

She wished she could claim the same, as she usually did. But nothing about this was “fine”. How she wished for even a fragment of a memory of all of this, a glimpse of those moments—but such thoughts quickly reminded her of Fennec’s presence, and terror and guilt flooded her stomach. If she _did_ recall hurting her friends, how much would she want to _not_ have those memories?

“F-Faye…” Selkie stammered next to her. “Faye…Monara told us that…that what you’ve become is permanent. Did…she tell you that?”

Though Faye couldn’t reply, Monara didn’t hesitate. “Yes. I promise I told Faye that.”

“We’ve changed back people who were turned into monsters by Outsiders before,” Gala said. “There has to be some way to get her back to normal!”

Had it not been for everything that had happened between the cocoon and now, Faye would have protested. But she said nothing, leaving Monara to answer. “I do not know what magics that the Outsiders who attacked your world used. But all I’d consulted believed that transformation of a human into one of our kind cannot be undone.”

Gala looked like she was about to grab hold of Monara, a fury Faye remembered from their days of fighting Outsiders together. “Then why did you do it? Why did you talk her into it?”

“She didn’t!” Faye shouted. She wanted to glare at Gala, but her new eyes were incapable of such. “It was my choice.” Selkie shuddered to her side, recoiling out of Faye’s sight. “Monara insisted that I think it over. She told me to be certain about it. It was my choice, Gala.”

“But…but why, Faye?” Selkie asked, still lingering out of her sight.

The explanation would have always needed to come. Even if everything else hadn’t happened, they would have needed to know…at least Elia and Cait would have. Maybe she should have told them, been honest before all of this. But would they have tried to change her mind? Would Elia had called up Holly again, tattled to her about Faye making her own choices in life? Doing what she wanted, what she _needed_ to do?

It was Lyris who finally broke the silence. “Come on, girls. We’ve got other things to worry about. Give her a second, alright?”

Once again silence fell over the room, with Faye becoming painfully aware of the low hum of the building’s ventilation system. To her left, Fennec was visibly shaking now; Selkie must have noticed Faye’s glance, for she looked back to Fennec and put an arm around the small heroine.

The one who finally shattered the uncomfortable quiet was Lleuad. “Whatever drove you to make your choice is inconsequential now. We’ve only barely avoided catastrophe, and fear of a new crisis has arisen among the public.”

Faye pushed herself along to the end of the bed, Monara stepping out of the way as she neared. “Lleuad,” she said, centering the avalerion in her vision, “please don’t punish Monara for this. It was my choice, and she did urge me to consider it carefully.”

“But she still told you it was possible,” Lleuad replied, with a furious glare towards Monara. “And there will be no way for you to hide this. People will learn. Suspicion will arise. Others will demand to join our world, and many they know will believe they did not make that choice willingly.”

Hadn’t she told herself that other people would jump at the chance to become Outsiders? That even Elia might have liked to live as a cnidarian? She would have said that, but she herself had worried about whether her friends and family would believe she’d become a chrysidean of her own free will. “I’ll…I’ll figure it out,” Faye said.

“It is far too late to ignore the consequences,” Lleuad said. “We will have to deal with them in time, and those responsible.” Faye knew whom he meant, and would have felt a twinge of guilt in her stomach…had she still had _her_ stomach. “But we have another problem to address.”

Gala turned to Lleuad, crossing her arms. “Monara’s mother, right? Queen Avonia?”

“She was a loyal servant of the tyrant who incited the invasion of your world,” Lleuad said, “the ruler whom you five exposed and deposed. Her disdain for your people is true. She will know that her plot has failed, that justice will await her, and she may attempt to sow further chaos rather than surrender.”

“We won’t let that happen,” Selkie said, with the hand not around Fennec lifted to her chest. “We won’t let her threaten the peace between our worlds.”

“She is…a shrewd manipulator,” Lleuad said, with a curious pause in his words. “Without proof of her actions, she may claim our forces marching upon chrysidean lands to be an act of invasion. But I am certain that the Glints, the ones who held us back from committing a great atrocity, would be trusted in their word. Though it pains me to force those of your world into battle once more, I do not intend for her to go unpunished or allowed to spread further chaos.”

“Say no more,” Starlet said, letting go of Faye’s hand to adopt a confident hands-on-hips stance. “We’ll do it. Right, Gala?”

It took Gala a moment to answer, during which her shoulders slumped and her hands clenched into tight fists. Her eyes raised back up immediately, her voice clear with confidence despite the momentary lapse. “Of course. Once again, huh?”

“Yes,” Selkie said. “We have to stop Queen Avonia before she does anything else.”

Perhaps Faye’s involvement was a non-question, for the other heroines’ attention along with Faye’s turned to Fennec. She leaned against Selkie’s body, still unable to look away from the floor. “Fennec…” Faye said. How she wanted to hug her friend, to let her know she had the strength to do this…yet she imagined embracing Caitlyn right now wouldn’t help her at all.

Gala walked over to Fennec’s side, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Fennec,” she said, “we need your help. The world needs your help. With the five of us together, Queen Avonia won’t stand a chance. You don’t need to worry!”

Faye frowned, imagining a twisting feeling in her stomach over Holly’s words…the stomach that didn’t seem to exist anymore. When had Holly ever seen one of Caitlyn’s breakdowns? When had she ever been a shoulder for Cait to lean on, give her the confidence just to leave her home?

Another shudder coursed through the small woman’s body, but she held herself still afterwards. Her eyes rose from the floor, meeting Faye’s for only a moment before they closed. One trembling hand closed above her chest. “Pa…Papillon,” she said, her voice not as timid as Faye had expected. “I won’t let her get away with what she did to you. I won’t let her hurt anyone else.”

Faye hadn’t doubted Fennec’s resolve, as difficult as it would be for her. But the roiling anger beneath her words, that still shook her body…Faye understood that. To have been the pawn of another, nothing but a mindless creature meant to cause havoc…Cait would know that all too well. Her earlier desire to know if she’d truly hurt her friend flashed in her mind, coupled with pangs of regret and fear. Could she have handled _seeing_ what “she” had done, feeling it as if every attack was her own action?

Monara’s spoke next to Faye. “I shall accompany you.”

The other heroines turned to her—Gala’s glare seemed particularly hostile. Lleuad’s voice boomed out, “Certainly not! Your involvement has already caused enough troub—”

“No!” Monara said, spinning to the avalerion. Her sharp, risen voice managed to cut off the avalerion’s fury—Faye could barely believe it. “Whatever punishment my actions merit, I will accept it. Even if I am forbidden from returning to this world, imprisoned in our own, or more—I will not refuse my judgement. But all of this is my responsibility. I cannot stand by and neglect my mother’s terrible actions.”

Faye pushed herself off of the bed. Only after the distinct feeling of touching upon the floor was Faye aware of her stalk-like chrysidean feet, and for a moment she worried she’d fall over. Her balance maintained itself as Monara looked to her. “Monara,” Faye said, “she’s your mother. Are you sure you want to do this?”

Her chrysidean friend’s antennae were still lowered, almost hanging in front of her eyes. Was it over her guilt for what had happened, or sorrow over such an betrayal? “Yes. But what she has done, I cannot ever forgive. I must ensure that she faces judgement for her evil.”

A sense of sorrow filled every aspect of Monara’s posture, and Faye doubted it was some sudden understanding of their kind’s body language from her own metamorphosis. She just knew Monara that well by now. Unable to find the words, Faye settled on reaching out for her hands. Only her upper arms moved forward at first, before Faye remembered the “muscles” to manipulate her lower hands into wrapping their fingers around Monara’s. Her antennae perked up just a little from Faye’s hold, a sight that brought a bit of comfort to Faye’s heart. All of this had been because Monara had wanted her to be happy, even with her own anxieties about Faye’s choice…

“If it wasn’t for Monara warning us,” Selkie said, “we wouldn’t have arrived in time. So I trust her.”

“If Faye trusts her,” Starlet added, “so do I. Simple as that.”

Gala shook her head briefly before returning her gaze to Lleuad. “Fine, then. If you don’t mind, I suppose.”

The avalerion’s eyes looked no less intense than usual as he shifted his stare between Gala and Monara. “Very well then,” he answered. “I shall leave the matter in your hands, and I have the utmost trust in you. Meanwhile, I will need to work with the humans to oversee our response to everything that has happened. Please excuse me.” Without another word or gesture, Lleuad walked out of the room.

Silence fell over the room once more. Monara still held Faye’s hands, but she had lowered her head. Gala still stood behind her, her body turned away from the others, her eyes closed and her arms crossed. “I’m sorry, Gala…” Faye said.

Gala’s body tensed for a moment, as if in disbelief. She walked to the door, past the black-suited man. “If anyone has anything they need to do before we go,” she said, her voice clear but low, “go get it done now. And meet back here as soon as possible.”

With her arm around Fennec, Selkie led her towards the door. Starlet raised a hand and said, “I’m good. I’ll hang here with Papi until you guys get back.”

First to leave was Gala, who departed without a second glance. Fennec hurried out of the room after her. Selkie paused in the doorway, looking over her right shoulder to Faye. There wasn’t confidence and courage in her stare and mouth, but confusion. Faye thought she was about to say something, but she turned and left without a word.

That left Faye, Monara, and Starlet…along with the black-suited man from the Embassy. Letting go of Monara’s hands, Faye asked, “My friends…you’re not going to follow them or anything, are you? You haven’t interrogated them or anything, right?”

The man shook his head. “Rest easy,” he said. “I promise we haven’t questioned your fellow heroines.”

“He hasn’t,” Starlet added, sitting herself down on a nearby bed.

“While…” The agent’s tone slowed. “While we will admit that we are aware of _your_ civilian identity…or rather, what it once was…we have not made any attempt to identify your fellow heroines or requested that information from them.”

“I would have figured you men in black would have been all over us,” Starlet said, leaning forward. “Kind of surprised we never got a knock on our doors five years ago.”

The Embassy agent glanced over to the camera in the corner of the room, then shrugged. “Quite bluntly…no one tried to figure out your identities. Ever.”

“Really?” asked Faye.

“Honest. Direct order from the top was roughly ‘leave them the hell alone’. Not in those exact words, but you get the idea.”

“They didn’t even try to figure out who we were, at the very least?”

“No one wanted to get in your way. Not the police, not the government, no one. You five were humankind’s only hope, and they knew that. They didn’t want to risk impeding you in any way.”

“You’re allowed to tell us all of this?” Starlet asked.

With a sheepish smile, the agent said, “Well, I figured you folks might want to be assured your secrecy will be maintained after all of this. I promise you, we’re not going to follow you or anything.”

Faye nodded. At least her friends’ identities would be safe. But what about her own? People would eventually find out that Faye Brice was now a butterfly-woman. Would they make the connection, realize she had been one of the heroines? What if they put two and two together, suspected her teenage friends of being her fellow heroines as well?

The agent headed for the door, but stopped short. “By the way, is there anything we can get you three? Hungry, thirsty, or…”

With a sort-of chuckle, Starlet said, “Sure, I could use a snack, thanks.”

She didn’t feel hungry, so Faye simply answered with a shrug. The pair of arms beneath her upper pair rose up a little, too.

The Embassy agent departed, leaving the three alone and in silence. Faye sat down on the bed behind her, turning her head to Starlet. It’d been years since she’d seen Lyris in person, let alone Starlet. It’d been years since she’d seen Holly or her alter-ego, or Selkie.

The last time they’d all been together, in their magical states…the day they had defeated the Empress. The day it had ended, the day their battle was over. They’d gathered in an empty park, when most of Garden City’s inhabitants were fast asleep for the night. Only when morning came would they know of the representative from the Outsider world, the odona who had led the resistance against the invasion, telling all of humankind that the conflict would finally come to an end.

It had almost been…disbelief. Smiles, teary eyes, hugs. Gala sighing, uttering that it was finally over. Fennec admitting her surprise that they’d defeated the Empress. Starlet joking about how she wanted to sleep for a week, until the entire thing felt like a crazy dream. Selkie expressing her optimism for peace to endure between the worlds. And Papillon wondering what awaited in the future, now that magic was no myth, no fantasy.

The five of them promised to meet in the morning, as soon as possible. And all together, the five of them shifted back to their normal selves before departing. It hadn’t truly been farewell forever, but…the memory felt like one. Holly started to drift away from them after that, Lyris left Garden City a year after high school. She still had Elia and Caitlyn, though…

…whether they would accept her new life now, that was the question.

Faye placed her hands upon the center of her chest—her upper hands went upon her first, but she slipped her lower pair of hands beneath them after a second. Just as she pictured her magic emerging as a swarm of butterflies, Faye always imagined those butterflies returning into herself, merging back into her spirit, whenever she shifted back to normal.

Though she could no longer close her eyes, Faye tried to ignore everything around her. She pictured the butterflies, feeling her energy flow in the way it always had when she shifted back to human…

…but nothing happened. The four hands upon her silk-clad chest remained slender chrysidean hands.

As Faye lifted her head, Monara asked, “Faye, is something wrong?”

Faye shook her head. “No, nothing.”

At least this time, she wouldn’t have to say farewell to the magic.


	25. Trust

“Come on, Faye,” Starlet said, in-between chomps of chicken sandwich. “If it wasn’t for Monara, I’d wonder if chrysideans actually ate.”

“We do not eat often, as your people do,” Monara said, still nibbling on the one sandwich she’d taken. Starlet had eaten several already; Faye had yet to help herself.

It’d been years since she’d seen Lyris in person; they rarely even messaged each other these days. And yet she hadn’t said a word about it? About her friend abandoning her very humanity?

Monara hadn’t said anything more, either. Being one of Monara’s kind now hadn’t magically given Faye any deeper understanding of her posture, her antennae, her wings—but with everything that had happened, Faye didn’t need any of those to know how she must have felt.

The silence started getting to her. Turning herself to Starlet, she asked, “Aren’t you going to say anything?”

Finishing the last bite of her sandwich, Starlet asked, “About what?”

“What do you think?” Faye asked, holding out both pairs of arms. “About…about my choice.”

Starlet raised an eyebrow. “Well, Faye, it was your choice. What am I supposed to say about it?”

“Aren’t you going to say something about how foolish I was?” She rose to her feet, expecting the worst. “About how I wasn’t thinking, about all the trouble I’ve caused?”

Shrugging, Starlet replied, “No. Why would you think I would?”

“Why _wouldn’t_ you?” It was clearly how Holly felt. Elia must have shared the sentiment, and Cait probably thought the same too.

Starlet stood up, putting a hand on Faye’s shoulder. “You wanted to do it, right? That’s what you said.”

“Yes…but…”

“Faye, I know what it’s like to have to choose between staying close to the people you care about and following your dreams. And following your dreams doesn’t mean leaving the ones you care about behind, does it?”

Starlet’s smile shrank slightly. She must have seen something in Faye’s face; perhaps her antennae? “…right, I’m not one to talk about that. I know…I’ve been busy, I put off getting in touch with you gals too much. I wish I’d known what you were getting up to…”

Perhaps she read Faye’s reaction as guilt, so Starlet continued. “Faye, I remember a friend who encouraged me to follow my passion, who told me how much she’d miss me but it didn’t matter if I was doing what I loved.” With a wave of her hand, she quipped, “Well, I had four friends like that, but you know who one of them was.”

“So…you don’t think this was stupid of me?”

“I know you made it for your reasons, and that’s all that matters.”

Faye smiled, something that felt more conscious an action in her new body. Maybe it was just Lyris’s flair for the dramatic, but she’d always known the right words to lift a dour mood, to inspire, to encourage. It was a far cry from the Lyris they’d met five years ago, the curt and snarky rich-girl frustrated at the three girls keeping her from the dance lessons her parents had roped her into. As it turned out, the dance instructor was an Outsider in human guise, stealing anima from the students through a mesmerizing dance. Holly made the decision to crash the dance lesson, prompting the instructor to reveal her true form and summon a swarm of dancing shadows flowing out in rhythm from her form. Most of the dance class fled during their fight, except for one student: the girl who’d helped the others escape, the girl Holly had tried to warn, for Holly had sensed the same power in her that the three heroines shared.

Her attention returned to the present, to the smiling young woman in an opera mask before her. “Thanks…thanks, Starlet.”

“Don’t mention it.” Glancing between Faye and Monara, she added, “And besides, you and Monara are fabulous! You look absolutely stunning, Faye.”

Faye snickered. At least she was still capable of that. “Thanks, Starlet.”

“I thank you too for your kind words,” spoke Monara.

Though she still bore the sorrowful antennae, Faye recalled how proud and happy Monara was on the day Faye had met her mother…and on the day Monara had brought her to the Outsider world. Even with a simpler garment, one roughed up a little, Faye found herself smiling at the visage of the chrysidean before her. Monara was…beautiful. Maybe not cute and attractive in the way Faye had expected her ideal girlfriend to be, but…Lyris put it best: _stunning_.

Faye rose from her seat, standing by Monara’s side. “Monara,” she said, “none of this is your fault. I don’t blame you for what your mother had planned.”

Monara lifted her head towards Faye, then lowered it once more. “I should have known, Faye. How did I not suspect anything of my mother’s manipulations? How had I not known how my mother truly felt about humankind, about our relationship?”

Faye managed to take one of her hands with her lower-left hand. How different it felt, she only noticed now, to be holding Monara’s hand with chrysidean hands instead of human hands. That certain word that’d always made her nervous hadn’t even fazed Faye this time. “I can’t imagine how it feels, Monara. But I know you weren’t part of it, that you’d never do anything like it. If it wasn’t for you…”

Monara’s antennae lifted ever so slightly in Faye’s direction. “She never showed anything but kindness to me. I could not imagine a more loving guardian. How could she hold such hatred for humanity, how could it twist her into something so wicked?”

As much as Faye longed for such an answer, for both now and five years ago, she just didn’t have one. “I don’t know. But we’ll stop her from hurting anyone else, or trying to shatter the peace between our worlds.” Would the chrysideans believe their queen had done what they would accuse her of? If they did, then surely it would fall upon Monara’s shoulders to lead her people…

Monara’s other right hand closed around Faye’s. “I am still so sorry for all of this, for all of the chaos I have sown.”

“Don’t worry,” Faye said, her voice little more than a whisper. “We’ll figure it out.” Monara’s antennae rose just a little, a sight that lifted Faye’s heart.

Returning to her seat, Faye looked at the sandwiches on the bed. A strange thin tongue flicked around in Faye’s mouth, but she didn’t feel any teeth or anything recognizable as gums. How in the world did chrysideans eat?

There was no time like the present to learn, she figured. Faye took one sandwich, opening her mouth and closing her lips around one tip. The bread and meat…dissolved? Melted? Disassembled into molecules? A medley of what seemed like a million different flavours filled her senses. None of them really blended, as the ingredients of a sandwich normally would. Maybe that was how Monara could tolerate ranch dressing on fruit salad.

Halfway through the sandwich, the Embassy agent returned, leading in Gala, Selkie, and Fennec. Gala looked between the three, her pout not quite the confident stare Faye knew from the past. “Are you three ready to go? We shouldn’t wait any longer.”

Hopping off of her seat, Starlet said, “I’m ready.”

Faye took another “bite” of the sandwich before answering. “Yes.”

Monara rose to her feet. “Yes. Let us depart now.”

Faye expected herself to have trouble walking upon her new feet, but she made it to the door without a problem. Selkie had her arm around Fennec once more. Faye wished she could do the same, but given Cait’s continued inability to look at her or Monara, Faye imagined that wouldn’t help at all.

The Embassy agent led the way back to the lobby. Both humans and Outsiders stood guard throughout, near the entrance of the building and the doors into the portal courtyard.

Daylight greeted them as they stepped into the courtyard. A few fluffy clouds floated by in the sky, guided along by a gentle breeze. How long had Faye been away in the Outsider world?

Gala led the way up the steps to the archway. “Can you open the portal, Monara?”

“Yes,” Monara answered. “Please, remain close to me.”

Faye stood behind Monara while the other heroines assembled before Monara. Fennec remained facing away from the others, with Selkie holding onto her still.

The air around them began to vibrate, a sensation Faye could feel through her antennae and wings. It was kind of pleasant at first, but grew more uncomfortable as the ripples washed away the human world and her feet rose from the ground. A sharp pain like an awful migrane started stabbing from the base of her antennae.

The violet aura faded away into the dark skies of the Outsider world. Faye’s feet landed upon solid ground. She looked to her companions, all of whom seemed to be fine…save for Fennec, for whom Selkie’s hold didn’t stifle her shuddering.

Past Monara and the others stood the portal guard, among them several duneyrr who approached with polearm-like weapons bearing spear-tips atop a hammer-head. One of them spoke in the duneyrr language, to which Monara replied, “They are here to help us.”

One of the duneyrr stepped forward, resting his polearm upon the ground. “The Glints of the human world?” he asked in English. “They stand before us now, to stop the chrysidean tyrant?”

“Yes,” Monara said, her antennae drooping. Faye didn’t need to wonder why. “All five of them.”

Another duneyrr glared at Faye. “Is that not the chrysidean who attacked the portal?” he asked, still clutching his weapon.

“She’s one of us,” Gala replied.

“But she is no human.”

“It’s…complicated,” Faye answered.

“She was under my mother’s control,” Monara said. “Her will is once again her own.”

Though the suspicious duneyrr still eyed Faye, the first said, “The Helfeirch has arranged for several of us to take you to the chrysidean homeland. We believe their queen remains in her palace.”

“Perfect,” Starlet said. “I’d hate to walk all the way there.”

The first duneyrr glanced to his distrusting partner. “They may pass. They are allies.” The group of duneyrr stepped aside, the hands not holding their weapons folded across their chest.

As they walked from the portal platform, little spots of colour popped up from behind the surrounding crystalline walls. The esperites soared towards them, little dragonfly-winged beings wrapped in thick manes of hair. “What are they?” Gala asked, leaning away from a green esperite that hovered in front of her face.

A pale-blue esperite flew up to Fennec, who drew back against Selkie’s side. The esperite recoiled as well, flying away from her. Other esperites fluttered around the rest of the group, but kept their distance from Fennec. Did that one realize it had frightened her, and let the others know?

Monara raised her upper hands and spoke out in her hissing-clicking language. The esperites all lifted away from the group, a cloud of swirling specks still hovering above.

“What did they want?” Selkie asked, glancing over Fennec to the others.

“They inspect all who cross between our worlds,” Monara replied. “Esperites are curious creatures. Beings they have never seen before such as yourselves would have sparked their interest.”

Starlet walked to Fennec’s side, putting a hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay, Fen. They’re the good guys, just like us.” Fennec gave one slow and uneasy nod, though she still kept her stare downward.

Faye glanced around the area. Whatever transport Lleuad arranged had yet to arrive. She might have expected more security, if not for the abundance of guards to begin with. None of them seemed injured…were they the same guards who’d been here when…she had come through?

One thing caught her eye, something Faye had thought was a chunk broken out of the walls. But none of the walls appeared damaged, and the chunk looked like a tall piece of jagged marble. The stone stood near the wall, out of place with its surroundings. Faye walked towards it, away from the others. “Papillon,” Gala called, “where are you going?”

Before Faye reached the rock, the top part of it began to move. A segment of the marble stone unattached from the rest, lifting up. Beneath the detached lid was a smooth pink face, framed with pale flaps on its sides and drooping antennae directly in front of its small eyes.

Had Faye still had eyelids, they would have widened at the sight. “Oh!” she said aloud, stepping back. “I didn’t mean to disturb you…”

She’d never seen any Outsider like the one before her, in the present or past. Though she expected it to be unable to answer in a human tongue, its response was just that. “I do not mind. I was merely recuperating my ether.”

“You speak our language?”

“The human tongue, yes.” The Outsider…the shell and the soft body within reminded Faye of a snail…had a point there. She slowly rotated towards Faye’s friends. “You two are chrysidean, but the ones that accompany you are unlike any of our world that I have known. Yet beings of ether they are.”

Behind Faye, Monara said, “Faye, I am familiar with this one. Her kind does not have a name in your language, for they have not been allowed entry.”

“Why not?” Faye asked, unsure which Outsider she was asking. The other heroines approached as well, Selkie and Fennec behind Gala and Starlet.

“A matter of courtesy,” the snail-Outsider replied. “My people move very slowly. While we are adept at teleportation, such is frowned upon in the human world, out of fear of causing distress. So we would only impede the people of your world.”

“But you’d hoped to come over, hadn’t you?” Selkie asked. “You learned our language.”

“Your language?” The Outsider stared for a few moments longer. “Are you four the Glints of the human world? Were you not five in number?”

“We are,” Gala replied. “And we were, but Papillon here…”

Before Faye could respond to Gala’s comment, Monara clarified. “Faye was once human. She chose to become one of my kind.”

The snail-Outsider rotated ever-so-slightly to Faye. “A human, undertaking chrysidean metamorphosis. I did not know such was possible.”

Monara’s antennae drooped. “My mother served the one who wished to turn all of humankind into beings of our world. Her research was how Faye became one of my kind.”

“There has to be some way to undo it!!” Gala said. “We were able to change back people who’d been transformed into monsters by Outsiders before.” Faye held her tongue; of course Holly thought she knew what was best for Faye…

The snail-Outsider’s retracted slightly into its shell for a few moments, as if in thought. “If such is the magic I am familiar with, that is different. It is twisting ether into a parasitic form that overtakes its victim, shapes a new form about them. By banishing that ether, the victim returns to normal.” The Outsider’s eyes turned upon Faye; Faye’s own attention was upon Fennec shrinking against Selkie’s side. “But there is no magic supplanting the anima of this one before me. If I had not been told otherwise, I would believe her to be no different from any true chrysidean.”

“So…so s-she can’t change back?” Selkie said, shaking her head.

“I _know_ that,” Faye said to the others. Her brow would be furrowed if she still _had_ a brow. “I’m fine with that. I knew that when I made this choice.”

“Such it would seem,” the snail-Outsider replied. “But a magic that allows one to change between anima and ether is something unnatural to even our world. I cannot truly know whether any trace of that remains in your friend.”

Faye stepped away from the others, and noticed two carriages approaching them. They seemed to be carved out of a bronze-like metal, with solid-looking frames. The one that had taken her and Monara to the chrysidean home before must have been similar, just adorned with their silk.

“You are going to confront the chrysidean queen, am I correct?” asked the snail-Outsider.

Gala nodded. “Monara’s mother attempted to cause chaos between our worlds. We were asked to bring her to justice.”

“I see.” Turning to Monara, the snail-Outsider said, “While I am of little aid in battle, please call upon me if you have need of my healing.”

“Thank you,” Monara replied, followed by the hisses and clicks of her own language. Being a chrysidean herself now didn’t give Faye any understanding of their language.

“Thank you for your help,” Gala said, starting for the carriages. “Let’s get going, everyone.”

Faye figured she would ride with Monara, that her friends would all take the other carriage. Fennec wouldn’t have to be staring at an Outsider the entire time, ones who knew she wasn’t comfortable even glancing in their direction.

But Faye noticed Fennec whispering to Selkie, who then said, “Papillon, could you sit with us?”

Had it been Cait’s idea? “Sure,” Faye said.

While Gala, Starlet, and Monara boarded the first carriage, Selkie helped Fennec into the second and climbed in before Faye boarded, sitting opposite her two human friends. Neither of them looked directly at her, and while Cait still trembled, Elia’s eye was closed and her lips formed a small frown. Cait’s apprehension, she could understand… but Elia’s?

The carriage began to roll, starting down the road away from the portal. Gala would probably be questioning Monara, demanding to know the “truth” of what had happened. At least Starlet would be there. At least she understood.

Though she didn’t need to stare directly at a single thing anymore, Faye still consciously turned her head to face Fennec before she spoke. “How are you doing, Fennec?”

Fennec gave only a tiny nod. She lifted her eyes just enough that she must have seen Faye; her hands clenching into her thighs only confirmed that.

“Selkie,” Faye asked next, “are you alright?”

Selkie nodded a few times, each as unconvincing as Fennec’s. “I’m fine,” she said.

Faye looked out the side of the carriage, to the shadowed shapes upon the horizon and the nearby silvery grasslands. She wanted to say something, anything to fill the air…but would talking to either of them now help things? Elia didn’t seem intent on talking about it; would asking her only make Caitlyn more uneas—

“…Faye?”

Her focus returned to Selkie, who’d finally managed to look directly to her. One azure eye met Faye’s, while her blind eye remain concealed behind the bangs tucked into her mask. “What, Selkie?”

Selkie gripped the edge of the seat, taking a second before she could speak. “Why didn’t you say anything? Why didn’t you tell us what you were going to do?”

Maybe she should have. Had Elia and Cait been worried about her, despite her cover-story? What kind of person made such a life-changing decision without letting her friends know, let alone discussing it with them? Lyris had never kept her dreams a secret from them, even when they knew exactly what it’d mean.

“I don’t know, Selkie,” Faye replied, shaking her head. “I’m sorry.”

“Why…why didn’t you talk to me about it?” Selkie leaned forward. “You…you did something like this, and you didn’t say a word about it. Did…did you not trust me?”

Recalling Holly’s badgering phone call, the one she’d made because of Elia, ignited a spark of anger within Faye. “It was my choice,” she said, “and I didn’t need Gala calling me up a day later to whine about it.”

Selkie’s eye widened. “Papillon, I…I asked for her advice because you seemed so…unsatisfied, especially after you started meeting with Monara more and more. I was worried, worried you might…” Her gaze shifted away from Faye. “…though…not like this…”

So Elia had thought exactly as Holly had. “I didn’t impulsively make this choice, Selkie. I thought about it for some time. This was what I wanted.”

“But what about your human family?” Selkie cried, seemingly moments from standing upright. “Your human job? Your human life? Your human _friends_?”

Faye shook her head, frowning. “If they really care about me,” she said while crossing her upper arms, “they’ll understand why I wanted this.”

Selkie inched back in her seat. “I…”

“Selkie, please…”

Fennec turned away from both of them as she said this, closing her eyes tight.

Her protests still lingered on the tip of her tongue, but Faye held herself back for now. Selkie seemed to sigh without a noise or exhale, settling herself back in her seat. “…well…what are…you going to do about…us?”

“I never wanted to leave the human world behind, Selkie,” Faye said. “Not it, nor the people I care about. I’ll still come back and see you two, I promise.”

The heroine in blue sighed audibly this time, her eye not meeting Faye. “I…I know, or I should. It’s just…how long will it be? It already takes so long just to hear from Starlet, and Gala…”

Faye had told herself that she wasn’t abandoning everything she cared about in her past life. But Selkie had a point. There’d be no way for her to send word from within the Outsider world, no text messages to share with Elia. They wouldn’t hear from her for days, maybe even weeks. And what if her sojourns into the Outsider world lasted even longer than that?

It seemed easy to say that she wouldn’t lose herself in her fascination with the Outsider world and the myriad of mysteries that surely awaited her. But it was just like the fellow teenage girl Holly introduced her to one day, the girl she’d said also shared the same power as her and Faye. Even as Elia shifted, she was clearly nervous about what she’d found herself involved in. But when the avalerion they’d tracked down seized hold of Faye and took flight with her in her grasp, Elia pursued—conjuring a torrent of water to launch herself at the Outsider, knocking the avalerion and Faye to the ground. After the battle…Elia had almost been squealing about what she’d done; she’d started dashing through the air wreathed in water, doing loops and spins like a physics-defying swimmer. Holly had told her to cut it out, but Elia’s musings about her experiments with her magic were only the first in many such discussions with her, and not the last to focus on their gifts.

Elia hadn’t hesitated to talk with Outsiders, to hear more about them and their world. Faye swore to herself that she’d share all that she’d learned with her. “I won’t forget you two, I promise. I wanted this…but I’ll always want your friendships.”

A small smile formed on Selkie’s face, but only for a moment before it vanished. “But…what if, with all of this…what if you can’t? What if you’re not allowed to come back to see us?”

What if that was the case? Lleuad had spoken about the ramifications of her metamorphosis. There had to be a way, though. She’d find one. “I promise. No matter what, I’ll visit. We can get together for coffee.” Turning to face Fennec, she added, “And I’ll do whatever I can to help you, Fennec. I promise.”

Fennec managed a small nod, though her unease was obvious on what was visible of her face. Selkie nodded too, and a second later, a chuckle slipped out of her. “So I’ll have a butterfly-lady asking _me_ out on a date?”

Faye almost corrected Selkie on her use of “dates”, but when she thought about Monara in the other carriage…she wanted to be next to her. To hold her hands. To be there for her, as disheartened as she was over her mother’s betrayal. And after all…those last moments before Monara sealed the cocoon, when her lips met Faye’s…

Maybe it was a good thing Faye couldn’t blush anymore, for in this moment, she didn’t mind Elia referring to her relationship with Monara like that.


	26. Fall

Without a sun in the sky or a phone to tell her the time, Faye had no idea how long their trip to the chrysidean forest was. The excitement and dread welled in equal measure in her heart, knowing they were returning to that wondrous place she’d only seen such a small glimpse of…and knowing the reason for their return now.

As the carriage reached the outskirts of the forest, it slowed to a stop. Faye leaned out of the carriage, watching Monara exchange a few words in Outsider languages with one of the duneyrr. Fennec and Selkie got out of the carriage first before Faye hopped out, her wings flapping on instinct to steady herself upon landing. “This is as far as they will take us,” Monara said. “The Helfeirch told them to stop here, out of concern that my people may believe my mother’s word over theirs. Do not worry, we do not have much farther to go.”

Gala and Starlet disembarked from their carriage. “Monara,” Gala said, staring at the fungus on some of the nearby trees, “is there anything we should be on the watch for? Any dangerous fauna or flora?”

“Creatures tend to avoid this path to our home,” Monara replied. “I do not know what dangers this place could hold for a normal human, but I believe all of you will be fine.”

“I didn’t feel sick or anything on the way here…” Faye said, her voice trailing off as she tried to remember her first trip through these woods—the one she’d made as a human. Even if she had felt strange, she’d probably been too eager to notice.

The duneyrr-drawn carriages pulled away from the forest as the six of them headed down the dirt path, between towering trees and blooming plants. The last time they’d been led through this world by Outsiders, it had been a much larger escort: nearly a dozen of the Empress’s servants, several of whom they’d clashed with in the human world. Collars of magical energy had kept the five in line. Even asking the other girls how they were doing had given Faye a pulse of numbing energy, bringing her to her knees; thankfully, her friends didn’t receive the same for helping her back to her feet.

“Hey, Papi…”

Starlet’s voice snapped Faye from her reminiscence. “Huh?”

“I’m just curious, but…is it confusing having four arms?”

She couldn’t pretend it wasn’t. It felt like she needed to consciously remember their existence, or else she’d only move her upper arms. “I’ll figure it out sooner or later.”

“I doubt it will take you long,” Monara said, slowing her pace to fall alongside Faye. At the edge of her vision, Faye saw Monara extend both left hands to Faye. She would have been blushing if she was still human, but she reached for Monara’s hands nonetheless. Her upper-right found the matching hand, but her lower-right missed by a few inches. Monara smiled nonetheless, giving Faye’s fingers a gentle stroke before releasing her hand.

Ahead of them, Selkie tried to stifle a giggle. Shrugging as she looked back, she added, “What can I say? You two are cute together.”

“At least one of us has found someone,” Starlet added.

Faye didn’t even think of immediately denying it. “Well, not just me,” she said to Starlet. She would have glanced to Fennec, had she not wanted to bother her friend.

“Let me guess…Fen?”

It took a second for Fennec to squeeze out an affirmative “Mm-hmm.”

“Right, I _am_ behind on everything,” Starlet said, shaking her head. “Next thing I know, I’ll be hearing Selkie’s married.”

Without glancing back to them, Gala said, “To the sea?”

Starlet’s laugh was the loudest, but Faye’s was a close second. Even Fennec gave a cute chuckle. Only Monara didn’t join in—she probably didn’t get the joke, and the reason why the six of them were returning to her home now must have weighed heavily on her mind.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

It was partway between Selkie and Starlet discussing Korean food, with the occasional opinion from Gala, that Faye noticed the first silken structures between mushroom caps on the trees. “We’re close now,” she said.

“Indeed,” Monara added. “Those are my people’s homes you see upon the trees.”

More and more chrysidean dwellings appeared along the trail, with several of the winged people fluttering among the trees or above the path. Several looked towards them; what they were thinking, Faye didn’t have a clue. Some took off in the direction of the castle. “Monara, do you know what your mother might have done after you fled? If she might have deceived your people about what she’s done?”

Monara’s antennae drooped. “I do not know. I cannot imagine what she is capable of.” Though she wanted to say something reassuring, Faye couldn’t find the words.

Past a curve in the path, the massive silk-coated tree of the chrysidean castle loomed before them. “Wow!” Selkie said aloud.

“How did your people turn a tree into…that?” Starlet asked, gazing up to as high up along its exterior as she could see.

“Our palace has existed for all of our known history,” Monara replied. “The creator of our people was said to have handwoven the great tree as if it was our silk, creating the hollowed interior and crafting it taller than the forest. Once, all of our kind resided within the palace, but now most of our people have their own dwellings.”

“Your creator?” asked Faye. “Like a god or goddess?”

“As you may see it, yes, a goddess. She is said to have long ago retreated within her cocoon to rest until the world must be rewoven. Whether she truly exists, no one knows, but the rulers of my people are said to be her descendants.”

So that included Monara…and her mother. Chrysidean mythology would be something for them to discuss, once their current problem had been settled.

Monara led the way towards the castle, with Gala second behind her. Faye’s fellow heroines, save for Fennec, glanced around to all the chrysideans around them.

She spotted the first chrysidean to leap from the palace windows, a grey-winged one who descended towards the six. More chrysideans of varying colours followed him out, clad in the same silk-wrapped chestplates and pauldrons. None of them held any sort of weapon, but did magical beings truly _need_ weapons?

“Monara,” Gala said, watching the emerging chrysideans carefully, “are they soldiers?”

Monara held out all four of her arms, blocking the others. “Yes. I shall try to speak with them.”

At least three dozen chrysidean soldiers landed before them, with the grey-winged male before the others. None of them seemed poised to attack, and none of Faye’s friends were ready to strike either. Monara began to speak in the chrysidean tongue, with their leader answering in turn. “Can you understand them, Papillon?” Gala asked.

Shaking her head, Faye said, “No, I can’t. I haven’t learned the chrysidean language.”

After a minute of discussion, Monara turned towards the heroines. “The soldiers have been aware of my absence and my mother’s strange behaviour in the interim. The scholars also have been concerned about my mother’s inquiries and tests involving human anima.”

“Anima?” Gala asked. “Where’d she get human energy from?”

Monara’s antennae lowered. “My mother created simulacrums of humans to discover how to transform your people into our kind, in service of the one who masterminded the invasion of your world. Such requires the energy of your world, and it seems some may have remained here after your victory.”

“But what is she doing with anima now?” asked Selkie.

While Monara returned to conversation with the leader of the guard, Gala said, “It doesn’t matter. Whatever she’s doing must be stopped. Let’s get this over with.”

After another response from the grey chrysidean, Monara said, “They will allow us entry. Follow me to the royal chamber.”

The chrysidean guards stepped aside, allowing Monara to lead them into the entrance between the silk-wrapped roots. Her fellow heroines looked around to the tapestries that covered the walls, though Fennec could only glance for brief moments before returning her gaze to the floor. Selkie whispered something to her, and Faye wanted to comfort her too, but would that only make things worse for Caitlyn?

They entered into a circular room at what must have been the heart of the great tree, one that stretched upward as far as Faye could make out. A swirling, powerful current of ether washed over Faye’s wings, making them feel as light as air. Small pink lights ran up the shaft, luminescence coming from red mushrooms that hung upside-down like lanterns.

“The ether of the tree will lift your bodies upward,” Monara said. “It is a simple magic. Focus your ether and allow the current to take you upward. Follow me.”

Before Monara took flight, Faye said, “Monara, will your mother sense us coming?”

“I expect she will. I cannot say what will await us.”

Monara held all of her hands out. With one strong flap of her wings, she took flight, soaring upward. Beside her, Starlet was the first of the heroines to rise off of the ground, floating up after Monara. Selkie lifted off next, holding onto Fennec and pulling her up with her as if she was a balloon.

Though Faye tried to channel her magic the way she always used to, she remained on the ground. “Can you still use your magic, Faye?” Gala asked.

“I must be able to…” Faye said, holding her arms out like Monara had—then extending her lower arms as well. What was she doing wrong? She craned her neck back, spotting Monara high above. Her wings flapped like she was flying through the sky—hadn’t Monara told her about chrysidean wings being a conduit for their ether?

As she flapped her wings, the ether flowed through them, alive and warm with energy. When she willed it, she released that energy, launching herself upward after her companions.

It was like being lifted up by a whirlwind, flying higher and higher into the eye of the storm. She caught up with her friends, and Gala was close beneath her. Openings and lights passed by them as they rose ever higher.

Monara soared into one passageway, after what must have been minutes and possibly dozens of kilometers off of the ground. The heroines followed her in, landing upon a carpet of black-dyed silk. Before them were curtains of black silk, the image upon them of a chrysidean who looked more butterfly-ish than any Faye had seen. The chrysidean was nestled within a white circle, with bands of white across their body. Was that supposed to be the chrysidean goddess? For a second, Faye imagined the white circle as the moon of the human world, but doubted such an idea.

Gala led the way, pushing aside the two halves of the curtain. Behind them was the royal chamber, a large space before a wide window. In a cocoon-esque throne, like the one in her apartment in the human world, stood the violet-winged Queen Avonia. “Avonia!” Faye shouted, stepping forward.

Her pace was stopped by the violet distortion in the air. Her two guards, the red-winged and blue-winged chrysideans, stood opposite in each other in the center of the room. Their upper hands held their staffs horizontally, while their lower hands clutched crystal orbs shining with eerie light. One orb charged with ether; the other was filled with anima, surely collected from numerous human victims of the Empress’s invaders.

Stepping forth from her throne, Queen Avonia said, “So you have returned, my daughter. But you are far too late.”

Behind Faye, Selkie whispered something to Fennec.

“Mother!” Monara said, advancing. “What are you doing?”

The violet shade to the flickering air before them deepened, the distortions growing faster and stronger. “They’re…opening a portal?” Faye realized.

“Not if I can help it!” Gala cried. Reaching into her apron, she pulled out a pair of apples, whipping them at the two retainers. The two apples flew away from the violent energies, striking the walls and exploding with magical force.

“How fortunate it is that you have brought the defenders of those pathetic creatures,” Avonia said, while the portal energies grew stronger. “They shall remain here while I prove how pitiful their kind truly is!”

Before Faye could speak a word in response, Fennec behind her whispered a single word. “Now!”

Together, Selkie and Fennec leapt forward, past the other heroines. A pulse of ethereal force propelled Fennec, while a torrent of conjured water launched Selkie like a torpedo. The two rocketed towards the two guards in an instant, forcing their way through the swirling aura. Selkie erupted an geyser of water from her hands at the red-winged chrysidean’s orb, while a blast of force from Fennec’s fist crashed upon the orb held by the blue-winged chrysidean and flung Fennec flipping backwards through the air. Both orbs shattered into sparkling light, bringing a black current through the forming energies between them. Selkie shot herself back in time before the violet aura burst into blinding light, and when Faye could see again, the forming portal was gone, Avonia’s two guards knocked onto the ground.

With the air before her still, Queen Avonia’s antennae splayed outward. Her two retainers rose before her, their staffs held ready. “How dare you!” she hissed.

“Mother,” Monara said, “how could you do all of this? Why do you desire to drive our worlds apart, to cause harm to humans?”

“You have seen for yourself what these creatures think of their kind!” One of Avonia’s hands gestured towards Faye. “Even one who protected her pathetic people wished to become more!”

Monara’s antennae spread apart, as if she was just as furious as her mother. “Faye does not think that way about her people. Do not speak of her in such a way!”

“Tell me, false chrysidean!” Avonia snapped. “Do not think I know nothing of your memories, of how little you cared about your pitiful kind, your pathetic human existence, and those you call your friends!”

Faye didn’t have anything to respond with. Hadn’t this all been because she’d lost all interest in living a human life? That risking abandoning everything was worth being part of the magical world?

But to claim she didn’t care about her friends went beyond the line. “I’d never leave my friends behind! And together, we’ll stop you, Avonia!”

“You can shut your mouth,” Starlet said. “Papi’s nothing like you!”

“Maybe if you were as curious as her,” Selkie added, “you’d know how strong humans can be!”

“Enough of this!” shouted Gala. “Surrender now. Your plans have been foiled.”

Waving with her lower hands, Avonia spoke a short sentence in the chrysidean language. The two staff-wielding chrysideans advanced, their weapons charging with magic—the red-winged chrysidean’s forming jagged spikes of crystalline ice, while the blue-winged chrysidean’s staff ignited with dancing yellow flames.

“Split up!” Gala shouted, petals of light forming between her fingers.

Water surged around Selkie’s body as she flung herself towards the blue-winged chrysidean. Gala aimed a flurry of petals at the same target, and Monara turned her attention to them as well.

Faye faced the red-winged chrysidean just in time to see her strike the floor with her staff. Spikes of ice erupted before her, three rows arcing forward. Fennec dodged out of the way, while Starlet faced down the incoming magic without flinching. “Star!” Faye cried out, about to rush towards her.

As the ice neared her, Starlet brought her right hand down, A burst of flame erupted before her, shattering the ice spikes aimed at her and Faye. Splinters of cold brushed against Faye’s wings, leaving a brief chilling sensation that almost crept into her very core.

With a sharp cat-like noise, Fennec lunged at the red-winged chrysidean. As her energy-enveloped fist was about to strike, the retainer held out her staff. A wall of ice materialized between them, shattering upon impact. The same force of her blow also propelled Fennec back, through the mist of ice shards. She landed upon her feet and one hand, a bit unsteady before rising.

Faye raised her hands, trying to focus her magic as she had learned to do, It took a few moments, during which the red-winged retainer launched spells at Fennec, before Faye remembered she needed to flap her wings. Once she started, her concentration had slipped. Would her magic work the same with her like this, or—

As Fennec almost landed a strike while the red-winged chrysidean’s attention was on Starlet, the staff swung out, catching the small heroine in the side. With a loud grunt, she crashed to the ground. In the same wave of her staff, the chrysidean released a wave of frost towards Fennec.

With a strong, instinctive flap of her wings, Faye thrust out her hands; her lower pair remained by her sides. A circle of shimmering butterflies appeared around Fennec, swirling rapidly into a cyclone that lifted Fennec off of the ground, away from the retainer’s attack.

Shifting her hand over, the butterflies flew to the retainer, their twisting winds enveloping the chrysidean. As Fennec launched herself with a blast of force, the red-winged chrysidean tried to weave out of the cyclone, but couldn’t before Fennec struck with a point-blank blast of energy from her hands. Both the chrysidean and Fennec were flung backwards, and while Fennec rolled back onto her feet, the retainer fluttered her wings to catch herself in mid-air.

Starlet raised her hands, then brought them down in a motion that always reminded Faye of how a conductor might lead their orchestra. Lightning crashed down, the first bolt narrowly missing the retainer—but the second striking her wing and bringing her to the ground.

Lashing out with her staff, the retainer launched waves of freezing cold wind. Fluttering her wings, Faye brought her hands down in a cross, the glowing butterflies spinning before her to deflect the wind. Starlet and Fennec slipped behind her barrier. Out of the corner of her vision, Faye spotted Selkie splashing Gala with water to douse fire upon her clothing.

The retainer fired ice spikes from her hands, and while Fennec and Starlet dodged, one icicle lance struck Faye’s wing. A deep numbing yet painful sensation spread from the impact. A glance to her wing showed no sign of damage, other than thin ice that covered most of it, making it difficult to flex her wings.

Returning her attention to their side of the fight, she caught Fennec dashing around the retainer, taking advantage of another bolt striking her to tackle the chrysidean with a wave of force that flung her to the floor.

As the red-winged retainer struggled to stand, Starlet put her hands together. A shimmering black aura, like a night sky illuminated by innumerable shining stars, formed behind Starlet. When she opened her eyes, the retainer had raised her staff, her posture unsteady. “It’s curtains for you!” Starlet snapped, before raising her hands together over her head.

Faye could only manage to move her unfrozen wing, but it was enough to conjure a gust that pushed the staff out of the retainer’s hand, mere moments before the starfield behind Starlet became an onslaught of beams, every speck of light like a laser striking the red-winged chrysidean. Croak-like sounds left the retainer with each hit, the beams piercing through her body and wings but leaving no visible wounds. To Faye’s side, the blue-winged chrysidean was caught between twin torrents of water, one erupting like a geyser beneath her and the other crashing down like a waterfall.

When both of the attacks ended, the two chrysidean retainers crashed to the ground. Beads of light formed upon their bodies, their figures beginning to blur. It wasn’t the first time Faye had seen such a sight; more of the Outsiders they’d fought in the past escaped or were spared by them. The others…they’d figured what it was back then, but would have Faye’s teenage self accepted them doing this?

The retainers’ bodies vanished into twinkles of fading light, leaving Queen Avonia undefended before her throne. “My guardians, defeated…” she said. “And only through your gifts of ether did you pathetic creatures prevail. Not the technology or spirit that my daughter has deluded herself about!”

“Enough!” Gala said, whipping out an apple from her apron. “Surrender now, and answer for what you have done.”

“Mother!” spoke Monara, her four hands together. “Please, end this now!”

“So you truly have taken the side of these pretenders,” Avonia hissed. Her hand waved dismissively towards Faye. “Even the one who wanted nothing of her own kind.”

“The only pathetic one here,” Faye said, standing beside Monara, “is the one who could do something so heartless and evil to her daughter!”

“Heartless?” Avonia’s antennae spread out. “I gave her just as she desired. The one she loved!”

“You sought to take everything away from her,” Monara replied, “that I cherished! I still cannot understand your betrayal, Mother…”

“My betrayal?” The chrysidean queen began to rapidly flap her wings, and for a moment Faye feared she was about to strike. “How fitting that I realized a far better purpose for your ‘love’ than my plans. For even as one of our kind, she is unworthy to be your partner!”

“You…you wanted to turn the one your daughter loved into a weapon?” Selkie spat, her fist clenched. “You monster!”

“A monster, am I? Then so is your friend, if she still considers you one.”

“Shut up, already,” Starlet said, straightening her gloves. “Let’s finish this, girls!”

Avonia spread her wings wide. “Indeed, if you can!”

With a thrust of her arms and a flap of her wings, Avonia released a powerful wave of force, once that almost flung Faye back like she was a mere leaf in a storm. As Faye regained her balance, Queen Avonia leapt off her feet, twirling in mid-air and soaring out the wide window behind the throne.

“Mother!” Monara shouted.

“Get back here!” Gala cried, throwing her apple.

Faye ran towards the window, her name called behind her as she ran past the throne. Gala’s glowing apple followed Avonia as she soared downward, but with a wave of the queen’s hand, the apple bounced away and exploded against the side of the castle.

She would have taken a deep breath if she still could, but instead she just began to beat her wings as she jumped out of the window. Her wings flapped faster, harder than they had while using her magic.

But it didn’t work. She wasn’t free-falling straight down, but her body twirled and spiralled downward. Changing how she flapped her wings, or at least trying to do it differently, didn’t change her trajectory.

Her wings flailed out of desperation, only succeeding in spinning her body upward. The sight of the towering chrysidean palace, the window she’d jumped out of becoming smaller and smaller faster and faster, snapped all thoughts of trying to save herself from her mind.

All Faye could do was scream, scream and scream and scream—

—until she hit the ground.


	27. Mending

It wasn’t the first time Faye’s body had experienced a sudden impact in her magical state. This time, however, the pain that wracked her body upon landing upon a solid surface was beyond any she had ever felt. It felt like every part of her body, every bone in her, outright shattered; whether she still _had_ bones didn’t even cross her mind. Nothing did, for what seemed like an agonizing eternity.

Above her, in the blurred medley of colours her mind struggled to recognize, a pink burst appeared above her, followed by what felt like sprinkling raindrops that seeped into her body, filling it not with the chill of a dreary spring night but soothing warmth and renewed vitality. Her vision began to focus once more, her mind realizing she wasn’t dead. How far had she fallen? She couldn’t even tell how far up the window she’d jumped out of was…

A faint light appeared above her, drifting closer downward. Once it was near, the light vanished, and her fellow heroines and Monara dropped to the ground.

Selkie’s voice screamed, “Faye! Are you okay?”

Despite feeling like every muscle—did chrysideans have muscles?—had been torn to shreds, Faye managed to position one arm to push herself up. Any movement shot pain throughout her entire body, even through her wings—her left wing at least. Her right felt strange and numb; perhaps she’d landed upon it.

But it was Fennec who quickly answered that question. “F-Faye! Your…your wings are broken!”

Just as Fennec was about to take a step, Selkie and Starlet hurried ahead of her to Faye’s sides. Sliding their hands underneath her back, they helped her upright. Faye glanced over her shoulders to her wings, or rather where they should have been—her left was bent about halfway through at an almost-right angle, while most of her right wing had broken off. Small beads of light formed and fizzled away along the fractured edge, with an uncomfortable resemblance to how the two retainers had dissipated away.

“We will bring her inside,” Monara said. “I shall call upon the healer we met at the portal.”

Selkie and Starlet helped Faye over to the edge of the tower—the soft mushroom cap had cushioned her fall, however much difference it had made. Monara held her hands downward, creating a glowing aura beneath them as they hopped off the roof, carrying them gently to the ground. An audience of chrysideans had gathered both in the air and the ground, watching them make their way back to the entrance of the palace. Faye glanced back to her companions, all of whom bore clear concern behind their masks—even Fennec, who held the broken-off part of Faye’s wing.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

The ether within the apple that Faye munched on helped alleviate the dizziness that kept overtaking Faye, but did nothing about the worrying weakening feeling that spread from her broken wings.

“Please keep your wings still, Faye,” Monara said, her hand on Faye’s shoulder as she knelt by Faye. “The healer will be here soon.”

“Are you okay, Faye?” Selkie asked, sitting on the silk cushion on Faye’s other side.

Faye tried to answer, but couldn’t quite describe the feeling. The weariness in her wings crept outward, to the tips of her limbs and throughout her head. She imagined it was almost like being somewhere with not quite enough oxygen, slowly succumbing to suffocation.

Meanwhile, Gala said, “Where has Queen Avonia gone? Do you think she’ll try to mount another attack on the human world?”

“I do not know,” Monara replied, her antennae lowering. “But we must attend to Faye’s injury.”

Faye glanced to the piece of wing in her hands; Fennec had handed the shard over to her. Just staring at it unnerved her, and not just because it was a disembodied piece of herself…but also a reminder of how she and her friends weren’t the same anymore.

Thinking about that made her antennae feel strangely heavy, or perhaps that was related to her injury. Looking to Monara, Faye said, “How soon will the healer get here?” Hadn’t that snail-Outsider spoken of teleportation mag—

As if on cue, a prickling feeling ran along the edge of Faye’s senses. Her heart jumped—or at least she imagined such a familiar feeling out of instinct. She knew that ripple all too well, remembered what it once signified.

The air vibrated at the other side of the room. Wisps of bluish energy spread outward from the distortion, accompanied by a low hum—and a strange high-pitched sound Faye couldn’t recall from any other Outsider teleportation.

The glow spread outward, with the figure of the snail-Outsider forming within. With one last pulse of energy, the outline sharpened in an instant, forming the marble-like shell of that Outsider. Her head rose from her shell while the wisps of light faded away.

The snail-Outsider’s small eyes focused upon Faye immediately. “You are injured,” she said. Her gaze moved beyond Faye. “And is your friend fine?”

Faye turned to what her fellow heroines had already noticed, had already turned their attention to. Fennec had collapsed onto her knees, facing away from the snail-Outsider, shivering like a leaf. Next to her, Selkie said, “Fennec?”

Her voice choking, Fennec said, “I’m…I’m sorry…”

“Fennec?” Gala asked, stepping over. “Fennec, what’s wrong?”

“It’s okay, Fen,” Starlet said, reaching for Fennec’s shoulder. “They’re here to he—”

“ _I know!_ ” Fennec screamed, recoiling from the touch. “It’s not okay! It’s not okay…!”

Fennec buried her head in her arms, curling up as if she wanted to shrink into a corner, loud sobs escaping her throat. Faye rose to her feet, hesitant to advance.

“They…they’re trying to help…” Fennec uttered, “and I’m…I’m…”

“Fennec, I’m sure they’d understand,” Selkie said softly to her. “We do.”

Starlet leaned in closer, though she kept her hands back this time. “Fen, I…I felt a little on-edge when that Outsider teleported in, too.”

Behind her, the snail-Outsider asked, “Is something wrong? Have I offended with my presence?”

“I believe we should not intrude,” Monara said.

Faye walked towards Fennec’s side, to get a better view of her friend through the other heroines. Gasps and rapid breaths slipped from her throat. “I shouldn’t be scared…I shouldn’t… They’re not our enemies…”

“They aren’t, you know that,” Selkie said, leaning in front of Fennec. “It’s not your fault that this happens…”

“They…they didn’t…Monara… _Faye_ …they’re…”

Hearing her name had confirmed Faye’s worst fear. The entire time, Caitlyn had been conflicted about what she’d become—and hating herself for how she saw her friend now. No…how she _thought_ she saw her friend.

Faye approached Fennec from the front, lowering herself onto one knee, nearly losing her balance. She’d forgotten about her broken wing. “Fennec?”

Fennec recoiled from the sound of her voice. “I’m…I’m _sorry_ , Faye!”

“Fennec, I understand what you’re going through. It’s not your fault, I know it.”

Her friend still couldn’t even look at her. “I’m so sorry…I’m…I’m…”

She wished she could throw her arms around Cait, like she had so many other times her demons had plagued her like this. But this time, it wouldn’t help. It’d only make Caitlyn hate herself even more. “Fennec, don’t be sorry. You’re one of the kindest, bravest people I know. I know you’re hurting, but you didn’t let that stop you from helping us. From helping _me_.”

Between her fingers, Fennec peeked out, only to lower her head nearly to the floor. “I’m sorry…” she cried, her body shuddering. “You’re my friend…you…you don’t deserve this…I’m just…just a horrible person…”

“No, you’re not…” Faye almost used Caitlyn’s name but stopped herself in the nick of time. She would have closed her eyes to picture what she was about to describe, but she didn’t have eyelids anymore. “Fennec, on the rooftop, after I fell…you weren’t afraid of me. You weren’t afraid to look to see if I was hurt.”

“She’s right, Fen,” Starlet said. “I didn’t even notice that her wing was broken until you said it.”

“You wanted to help,” Faye continued, “but Starlet and Selkie got to me first. I saw it, Fennec. You didn’t see me as a monster, an enemy. You saw me as someone in need, someone who was hurt. You were worried for me. Because that’s the kind of person you are, Fennec. Someone who _wants_ to help everyone she can—human, animal, or Outsider.”

Fennec’s shaking seemed to ease, just a little. Her hands lowered from her teary eyes, though she still held her head down.

“I know if it was Monara or another Outsider, you’d want to help them. You helped them five years ago, Fennec. We did it not just for our peace, but theirs too. You were strong then, and you’re just as strong now.”

Fennec remained still, and Faye couldn’t help herself. She wanted to hold her friend, to let her know that she cared even if Cait believed she was a terrible friend. But as Faye leaned forward, her balance unsteadied once more, and she tumbled to her side, catching herself with her lower-left hand.

“F-Faye!” Fennec said, her head lifting and her eyes upon Faye, as Faye held herself up with three of her hands.

Monara’s voice grew closer. “Faye, please let her tend to your wing now.”

“You’d better let her patch you up, Faye,” Starlet said. “Just stay still, she’s on her way.”

Faye expected the snail-like Outsider to take a while to reach her, but soon she sensed them right behind her. “Hold still,” the Outsider said, as Selkie handed the piece of Faye’s wing to her.

Ether danced along the injury, like a gentle stream of static-filled water mending the broken wing back together. It didn’t hurt, but it wasn’t quite like Gala’s healing-rain apples. Only Caitlyn’s voice snapped her away from the strange sensation. “Will…will she be alright?”

“She should be fine,” the snail-Outsider said. “Even if it does not heal perfectly, a rest within her cocoon will restore her.”

“When this is all over,” Monara said, “I will help you weave a cocoon. I will teach you everything I can about your new life, Faye.”

Faye nodded. Fennec still sniffed, though she now allowed Selkie and Starlet to hug her. Gala remained standing, leaning against the wall, her eyes closed. Couldn’t she at least try to comfort Caitlyn? Even if they weren’t friends anymore?

“There,” the snail-Outsider said. “Now let me tend to your damaged wing.”

Looking over her shoulder, Faye expected to see some kind of scar or visible mark where the right wing had broken. Instead, it looked just as it always had…as she now did. The Outsider’s fin-like hands, protruding from other spots of her shell she had shifted aside, left numbness on her left wing where they touched to straighten the bend.

Once everything was back in place, the snail-Outsider slipped back, her arms retreating back into her shell. “There. That should suffice.”

Faye gave her wings an uneasy flap, expecting them to ache or still feel strange. They moved just as they had before the fall, and she even managed a brief flutter. The unwelcome weariness that had come over Faye began to ebb away, leaving her feeling a little more steady than before.

She inched herself forward, just as Fennec looked to her. Craning her head upward to the snail-Outsider visibly strained Fennec, but she managed to set her eyes over Faye’s shoulder. “Thank you for helping my friend,” she said. “I’m…I’m really sorry about freaking out like that.”

Her eyes returning to Faye, Fennec slipped out of the hold of her other friends, coming closer to Faye. She managed to meet Faye’s eyes for a moment, before throwing her arms around Faye. Her body shuddered against Faye for a moment, perhaps in surprise to the unfamiliar feel of her friend’s new body. Faye’s upper pair of hands rested on Fennec’s back; her lower hands hesitated, as she worried it would freak Cait out, but they soon hugged her friend as well.

Their embrace was interrupted by a soft, strained voice that Faye had never heard come out of Holly-as-Gala’s lips. “Fen…Fennec…h-how long has this been going on?”

Letting Fennec slip out of her arms, Faye said, “A while now. Ever since the Outsiders came back.”

Fennec nodded, her eyes closing. “The first time I saw one, after the treaty…I freaked out. I couldn’t stop feeling so scared…I hid in a bathroom, I only came out when someone told me the Outsider was gone. I’d…I’ve been so afraid of seeing them, because…” She sniffled, though to Faye’s relief, she didn’t see her eyes water. “I felt like such a horrible person, being so afraid…when I knew they weren’t here to do evil…”

At the edge of Faye’s vision, Gala almost slumped against the wall. One hand rose to her forehead, as if deep in thought—or as if she didn’t want to see her fellow heroines right now. “Fennec, if I knew…I…I should have known. There’s people who can help you, who can…can talk about this stuff with you.”

As Fennec’s head lowered, Selkie said, “Gala, we’ve been trying to convince Fennec to see a therapist about it for months.”

“And…you wouldn’t?”

Fennec shook her head rapidly. “I can’t…because what if I say something that reveals my secret? What if someone finds out you girls are heroines too?”

“So what?” Starlet scoffed. “Fen, I’d scream it from the rooftops if it meant getting you the help you need.”

Their friend recoiled from those words, as if ashamed by the mere possibility of such. “Starlet’s right,” Selkie said. “I’m sure you’d never let it slip, but if it had to be done for you to get better, I wouldn’t have a problem with it.”

“Me neither,” Faye said, putting a hand on Fennec’s shoulder.

With a heavy sigh, Gala pulled herself away from the wall, bringing herself over to Fennec and kneeling before her. “They’re right. I’d…I just want you to be better. We all know you’re a strong, beautiful person, Fennec. We trust you with our secret. We…we just want you to get better. Okay, Fen?” She took one of Fennec’s hands. “I’ll help you find the right one, as soon as we get home.”

What seemed like a smile began to creep over Fennec’s face, but soon slipped away into a forlorn frown. “You…you promise?”

“Of course I do!” Gala pulled Fennec into a hug. “I…I should have been there for you. I wish I had been…”

A small sniff leaving the small girl, Fennec said, “I miss you, Gala. I wish you’d come hang out once in a while. I miss your apple pie…”

What escaped Gala sounded like a cross between a sigh and a sob. “I…I don’t even remember the last time I made an apple pie.”

“Wait, what?” Starlet blurted out.

“You…really?” Selkie asked, an eyebrow raised. “Gala, you haven’t made a pie in so long?”

She didn’t answer at first. “Weren’t you going,” Starlet said, “to become a famous TV cook? Have your own orchard? Whatever happened to that Gala?”

Gala’s entire body heaved with the sigh that left her. “I don’t know…it just… After everything, I just wanted to get my life back on track, get my grades back after all the hassle of fighting the Outsiders. And whenever I thought about apples, it just felt so…silly. Like I’d been obsessed with a childish dream.”

It’d never seemed childish to Faye. If anything she’d always admired Holly’s passion for baking. To think that she’d been soured on her passion after their battle against the Outsiders…

A memory fluttered back into Faye’s mind. A moment, not too long before their fated confrontation against the Empress. Holly had spoken to Faye alone, confiding her doubts about her leadership, of what might happen if they failed—if _she_ failed them. Faye had insisted that Holly was the best of them, that all four of them trusted in her ability to guide them. Holly had thanked her…she’d thanked Faye for reaffirming that pressure upon her, the burden she’d carried ever since she’d first discovered her magic and the Outsiders.

Faye placed her upper-right hand on Gala’s shoulder. “Is that why you drifted away, Gala? Because you didn’t want to think about everything you’d been through?”

Even before Gala looked to Faye, the sudden jolt through her body gave the answer that her lips refused to give. A sorrow filled Gala’s eyes, even as they glanced away from Faye and the other heroines.

Her hand remaining on Gala’s shoulder, Faye said, “Then after this is over, why don’t we all get together and make some nice treats? Just like the night before we saved the world, right?”

Gala looked back to her, as if in surprise. “You’d…still want me around?”

“Of course, Gala,” Selkie said, her smile wide. “It’s been great having you back now.”

“If I had to drag myself back home for all of this,” Starlet said, “I’m not leaving without a slice of your apple pie.”

Faye nodded. “Even if you needed some time away, you’re still our friend. And you’re still Gala. You’ve always said our magic came from our innermost passions—clearly you’ve still got that spark.”

With her smile growing, Gala said, “Thank you, Papillon. I’m sorry I was so worked-up over what’s happened, but if it’s what you want, then I’m on your side, no matter what.”

Though Faye was glad to once again hear the Gala that Holly used to be, Monara’s voice snapped her thought back to their present crisis. A chrysidean soldier had entered, and now stood behind her as she spoke to the heroines. “The sentries believe my mother is headed for the portal between worlds,” she announced, standing at the doorway into the room. “They spotted her taking flight in that direction.”

“So she’s already on her way to the human world!” Gala said.

“How can we catch up to her?” asked Starlet. “None of us can fly after her.”

Behind them, the snail-Outsider spoke up. “If I may?”

They all turned their attention to her, at which point the snail-Outsider continued. “As you already know, my people are masters of the magic of teleportation. Perhaps I can help you reach the portal. But there is one problem.”

“What?” asked Faye.

“To dissipate oneself into ether and reform a great distance away requires a great amount of energy,” continued the snail-Outsider. “I fear that, even with the five of you, it would exhaust your power to reach the portal.”

“We can’t spare any of our strength for the fight against Avonia,” Gala said. “There has to be another way.”

Turning to Monara, Faye said, “Monara, could you ask your people to help us? Would they be able to?”

“If a great many of Monara’s people were to release the ether stored within their wings,” said the snail-Outsider, “perhaps that would be enough energy to send you there without taxing your own strength.”

“Then I will call upon my people,” Monara said. “I am sure they will aid us.”

“Thank you, Monara.” Gala turned to the other girls, hesitating a moment—perhaps in awkwardness over her recent admissions. “Alright, girls…this is it! We won’t let Avonia slip away this time! Let’s go!”

“For both our worlds!” Selkie said.

“For everyone relying on us,” Starlet affirmed.

“For peace!” Fennec cheered.

All Faye had to add was a nod, before the five of them followed Monara out of the chamber, out of the chrysidean castle. Many chrysideans had already gathered outside, a crowd standing before them and countless more watching from above. Ahead of them, Monara took flight, her hands coming together upon her chest before she spoke out in her chrysidean voice. Though her volume was low, her voice echoed about them, carried through the trees by the gusts of ether released by her wings. Any chrysideans at the very edge of the forest probably would have heard her call.

The ones aflight before them landed, while many more soared in from the woods, nearby dwellings, and even the windows and entrance of the castle behind them. The winged people gathered in a large half-circle before them, as wide as they could within the trees, with several rings of chrysideans by the time one last silver-winged individual joined the formation.

Monara landed in the center of the semi-circle with the heroines. “Will you come with us?” Faye asked.

Her antennae lowered for a moment, but rose back up. “I must. It is my duty to my people to hold my mother accountable for her injustice. I will not rest until she cannot harm another of your world or my own.”

Taking one of Monara’s upper hands, Faye said, “Thank you, Monara.”

The snail-Outsider finally emerged from the castle entrance, inching towards the group. “Is everyone ready?”

“Yes, we are,” Gala replied. “Monara, please tell your people that we are thankful for their help.” Monara spoke out in her amplified voice, a multitude of chrysidean clicks responding in turn all around them.

“Remain still,” the snail-Outsider said, bowing her head. Several chrysidean sounds left her lips.

All around them, the circles of chrysideans began to beat their wings. They started slow and out of sync, but each passing second brought a greater speed and narrower rhythm. Energy tingled all over Faye’s wings, then spread over her skin. An incredible amount of ether billowed all around them, like a howling gale Faye didn’t quite “hear”—and couldn’t quite describe as something she “felt”.

Concern suddenly struck her, and she stepped to Fennec’s side. “Are you alright?”

Though Fennec was clutching Selkie’s hand tight, her entire body trembling, she replied, “I’m fine…I’m fine…”

The ground seemed to vanish beneath them, but was still visible under their feet. Fennec squeaked, but she still remained by Selkie’s side. Swirling trails of blue light surrounded them, ruffling the leaves around them and even parting the canopy of the massive trees above. One of her friend cried out in surprise, but the sound was too distorted to make out who it was and why they’d made the noise.

Then, in a flash, they were in the midst of a channel of energy, a vivid stream of colours and lights swirling about them. The forces upon Faye’s body felt like flying, yet somehow in every direction simultaneously.

Though all she saw of them were dark silhouettes, she knew her fellow heroines and Monara soared alongside her. They were together once more, for the same purpose that had brought them together. Once more, the fate and safety of humankind rested in their hands.

And just like the last time, Faye hoped they would be strong enough together to save the world—especially with her own role in bringing the peace they’d won into peril.


	28. Butterflies

That feeling of soaring upward lasted for what seemed like a minute, until the lights and sensation ended abruptly. Her feet landed upon solid ground, the colours fading away to reveal the crystalline walls around the portal. Glancing behind her, Faye saw the old keep right behind them—they weren’t too far from the portal. All of her companions seemed to be fine, save for Selkie, who was bent over and clutching her stomach, but after some deep breathing and patting on the back from Starlet, she straightened herself up.

“Everyone okay?” Gala asked.

With a shudder, Selkie replied, “S-sure…”

While Fennec and Starlet concurred, Faye stared towards the portal, not spotting any of the Outsider guard. Were they already too late? She started to run, her pace unsteady at first on her unfamiliar feet. Her friends ran alongside her, most of them passing her as they neared the walls.

Before the portal came into sight, a duneyrr came flying over the crystalline walls, propelled by a silvery blast of magic. The heroines hurried, just in time to see Avonia upon the portal platform, all four hands raised…and her body slowly turning towards the six.

“Stop, Avonia!” Faye shouted. “You’re too late!”

The violet-winged chrysidean lowered her arms. “Who are you to stop me?” she said, stepping to the edge of the platform. “A pathetic creature of the human world who couldn’t even stand her pitiful existence?”

“Last time I checked,” Starlet said, “we’re the ones who took down the last evil tyrant here. You really think your odds are better?”

“If you won’t surrender,” Gala declared, whipping an apple out of her pouch and catching it in mid-air, “then we’ll strike you down!”

Avonia lifted her hands, flapping her wings. Invisible gales began to tear along the ground in random patterns, splitting the ground and sending dust into the air. Selkie and Fennec charged forth, past the field of blasts—only for the ground to erupt beneath them, flinging them into the air.

Faye braced herself as the blasts surrounded her, debris scratching against her wings. With a sharp scream, Gala hurled her apple past the dust, the fruit homing in on Avonia. The chrysidean queen raised one hand to catch the apple, her antennae perking as if in arrogance.

The apple burst into pink light and petals, forcing back the chrysidean’s hand but barely fazing her. That moment of distraction had allowed Selkie to race in, propelling a jet of water at Avonia with both hands. But the chrysidean raised two hands to block, and caught Selkie in a telekinetic hold.

A swift water-laced kick broke Avonia’s concentration enough to drop Selkie, who dodged aside as a torrent of fire and thunder charged from the sky above. Starlet’s glare was as fierce as her magic, but Avonia made a noise in her alien tongue and dispersed the magic with a clap of her upper hands before taking flight towards the heroines.

Faye flapped her wings, ethereal butterflies surrounding her. But Avonia stormed past her, like a bolt of lightning herself as she charged at Starlet. Faye couldn’t guard her in time, and Starlet couldn’t counter before Avonia caught her in an electric lash, swinging her in Faye’s direction. At least Faye had enough time to swirl her butterflies before her, creating a vortex that gently caught Starlet.

Gala hurled an apple at Avonia, but the chrysidean weaved away from its path, waving her arms as she soared overhead. Dual gashes formed in the ground, the force sending shards of stone and earth flying into Gala, provoking a cry of pain before a third split in the earth blasted her off of her feet.

“Mother!” Monara shouted, taking flight after Avonia. “I will not allow you to escape!”

The chrysidean queen stopped in mid-air. Despite her featureless eyes, Faye had a feeling Avonia’s attention was set upon her. “If you will abandon everything for that creature, then I will take her away as well!”

Before Avonia could resume her flight, both Fennec and Selkie leaped into the air, magic-wreathed blows flying at the queen. Avonia parried Selkie’s kicks before blasting Selkie to the ground, and caught Fennec’s hand before her concussive magic could fire. The small heroine gasped, and Faye’s stomach twisted, before Avonia flung Fennec down.

Before Avonia could lift her head, Monara was upon her. Her mother blocked the magic Monara released from her palm, then caught one of Monara’s wrists. Faye gritted her teeth, running towards the two. “If you are so fond of the wingless ones,” Avonia hissed, “then perhaps I shall tear yours off!”

“M-Mother…!” Monara gasped, letting out a scream as Avonia took hold of the edge of one wing.

“Go!” Faye shouted out of instinct, extending her upper-right hand—as well as her lower-right. The glowing butterflies around her soared at Avonia, swirling around her and summoning a whirling wind that loosened her grip on Monara.

Though Monara managed to land on her feet, Faye still raced towards her. Avonia swept down, darting over Monara, her antennae splayed as she dove towards Faye—

—then a figure flung herself off of the ground, one fist drawn back as she rose between the two.

Faye felt the force of Fennec’s blow from where she stood, sending both Fennec and Avonia flying in opposite directions. Fennec arced through the air, backflipping along the ground until her momentum ceased. Avonia’s impact against the crystalline wall thirty feet away was much less graceful.

As the chrysidean queen pulled herself from the cracked surface, Faye shouted, “Everyone, now! Let’s hit her with everything we’ve got!”

She would have held her breath in this moment, but instead, Faye began to beat her wings as rapidly as she could. Her ethereal butterflies multiplied around Avonia, a shimmering hurricane filling the air around her. But the chrysidean held her arms out, a countering force threatening to banish Faye’s magic.

“No!” cried Monara, rising up. She held out all four arms, flapping her wings rapidly. A third vortex of force engulfed Avonia, countering her own, and the chrysidean queen lifted off of the ground involuntarily. Her wings thrashed; whether to channel her own magic or attempt to fly free, Faye didn’t know.

What Faye did know was to advance closer, to Monara’s side. Sensing her approach, Monara held out the hands on her right side, and Faye’s left hands took hers. This close to her, Faye could feel the immense power she channelled, the ether pulsing around her with each beat of her wings. Faye’s own rhythm caught up, and soon the two flapped their wings in perfect unison.

As Avonia flung her limbs about in the vortex of shining wind, Starlet screamed, “Now, girls!”

“Splash!” Selkie cried, launching into the air upon a jet of water.

As Selkie rocketed into Avonia, delivering a water-powered flipping kick, Fennec shouted, “And crash!” Running in a wide arc, she leapt into the air, striking Avonia with a two-handed blast of force from the opposite side as Selkie’s attack.

The two heroines flipped away, while lightning surged into the center of the tornado, crackling throughout Avonia’s form. Gala jumped into the air, taking an apple from her apron and holding it aloft with both hands. Each hand came down, leaving hovering white petals in their wake, floating around her like a corona.

Then Gala narrowed her eyes upon Avonia. “No one threatens our world—or our friends!”

She let the apple loose, the petals chasing it through the air as they wove around Avonia. The glow of the apple grew stronger and stronger, until Gala brought one hand swiftly down—and the apple and petals all shot straight at Avonia, erupting into a chain of bright explosions.

Once the light finally faded, Faye stopped her aching, weary wings. Monara’s rhythm slowed to a stop as well. Her antennae still straightened in an instant as Avonia crashed to the ground in front of the portal platform.

Faye held herself still, but braced for any further attack. Her chest tightened as Avonia began to rise…but the chrysidean queen struggled to stand, her wings capable of only a twitch that emitted little ether. The battle was over, that much was clear.

“You…” Avonia snarled, her antennae splayed. She could only manage herself op onto one knee. “To think pathetic creatures of your world were blessed with such power… Surely you realize how hopeless your people would have been without your gifts of ether…”

“They are not pathetic creatures, Mother,” Monara said, approaching the defeated queen. “They are wondrous beings in their own right.”

Avonia tried to stand once more, but fell back onto her knees. “Then end it,” she said, her head lowered. “You have triumphed.”

Even after all Avonia had plotted, Faye shook her head. “Monara, what shall we do?”

“I do not wish to execute her,” Monara replied, her antennae drooping.

“Are…are you creatures of anima truly so weak of will?” Behind Avonia, violet light began to shine at the center of the portal platform. “If you will not…I shall force you…”

By the time Avonia had made it to her feet, the figures of several Outsiders had formed in the purple radiance behind her. She turned her body, just in time for a clawed fist to strike her down to the ground. “That is enough, Avonia!” came the booming voice of the avalerion Helfeirch.

The light faded away, leaving Lleuad standing before them with several other Outsiders—duneyrr, another avalerion, and an elderly-looking tree-person. “They may show you mercy, but I will not. Challenge me if you truly dare.”

Despite her prior words, Avonia didn’t move an inch upon the ground. “I thought as much,” Lleuad said. “Bind her.”

Two of the duneyrr approached Avonia, holding their hands towards her. Chains of light formed, partially wrapped around their own bodies, which they pulled Avonia up and tethered her limbs with. “You are to be judged for manipulation of a human being and threatening the peace between worlds,” one of them said, followed by words in his own tongue that Faye imagined meant the same thing.

Avonia’s head turned to Monara. Her antennae remained in that splayed position, but the tips lowered just a little. Anger, of course…but perhaps disgust?

Monara’s antennae remained down as she put her upper hands together. “Mother…I love Faye. I truly wish to be with her, to do whatever I can to make her happy. I have always cared for you, as you had always cared for me. I cannot comprehend what drove you to do all of this, to do something to hurt your daughter so. I wish I could forgive you, I wish I could believe you will see the error of your ways…”

Faye stepped closer, and this time, she had no trouble taking both hands on Monara’s right side with her left hands. Monara tilted her head and antennae towards Faye, her focus remaining on her mother. Avonia merely looked away, and the duneyrr along with the other Guardant Outsiders led her away to whatever fate awaited her.

While Faye watched her go, behind her, Selkie said, “Well, looks like we’ve saved the world again.”

“Let’s not make a habit of getting together every five years for something like this,” Starlet replied with a chuckle.

“Of course not!” Fennec said. “We need to get together much more often than that! Right, Gala?”

Wanting to see Holly’s face in response to that, Faye turned…and smiled at the sight of the smile upon Gala’s face. “Yeah, that’s right, Fennec.”

Crossing his arms, Lleuad said, “Yes, the threat of Queen Avonia is over. But as I am sure you understand, we have another pressing matter to address.”

Through her buggy chrysidean eyes, Faye watched all of her friends’ gazes come to rest upon her. Even as her new self, it felt like butterflies were beginning to dance in whatever was within the lower part of her torso.

“Monara,” Lleuad added, a hint of anger flaring in his voice, “come. You too will need to answer for your role in this.”

“I understand, Lleuad,” Monara replied.

Lleuad held his arms out upon the platform, and the heroines and Monara drew closer. While the air began to dance with violet ether, Faye tried not to let her thoughts linger on her friends’ concerned stares. What could the problem be? Surely she could still visit the human world, remain friends with Elia and Cait?

The Outsider world faded away around them, and soon their feet touched down upon concrete in the human world. The purple faded away to a starry night sky, with no clouds visible between the illuminated, dotted silhouettes of Garden City’s skyscrapers. In its own way, this view of her own world was spectacular.

It was Fennec who broke the near-silence, filled only with the noises of nearby traffic. “Excuse me, but…what’s going to happen to Faye?”

The avalerion turned towards the group. “I am sure that you understand why the knowledge of a human becoming an Outsider, irrevocably, can never be known. The one responsible for this shall be judged, for the peril she has put the peace between our worlds into.”

“Lleuad,” Faye said, stepping to Monara’s side. “It was my choice. Don’t blame Monara for it.”

“She told you of it,” the avalerion barked, crossing his arms. “She should have never.” With a low grunt, Lleuad continued, “As for you…we cannot let the human people know that the one called Faye Brice is no longer human.”

“What do you mean?” Faye asked, the butterflies now swirling about where her stomach used to be.

The avalerion closed his eyes, an unwelcome hint that even he considered what he had to say tough. “Even should we create a new identity for you, the risk remains that any small slip could reveal the truth, and fracture the trust and understanding between our people. We cannot allow you to return here to this world.”

“What?!” Gala snapped, stepping forward, her red eyes almost as intense as the avalerion’s.

“Humankind cannot know of this,” Lleuad replied to her. “Even if your friend insists she became one of our kind by her choice, there will be those who disbelieve her. There will be others who will desire the same, and those who believe they have been manipulated into such. After all, is such manipulation not responsible for what has occurred?”

Faye wanted to believe otherwise. She’d told herself everything would be fine. But what if her landlord didn’t believe the butterfly-woman now living in Faye Brice’s apartment _was_ her? How would her father react to learning that his daughter…wasn’t even human anymore?

“That…that’s not fair!” Fennec said.

“It does not matter,” the Helfeirch replied. “Even remaining in contact with your friend as she is now may risk revealing the truth.”

“We’ve gone this long without letting anything slip!” Starlet spat, with a fury Faye knew was no act. “You just want her to give up all her friends and family?”

“I wish there was another solution,” Lleuad said. His claws tightened into fists, trembling fists. “But you five of all people must understand what is at risk here.”

Selkie clutched onto one of Faye’s hands, holding it tight. “Faye…even if I have to visit you in the Outsider world, I won’t let them take you away from us!”

“This…this is ridiculous!” Gala hissed. “Faye, don’t play along with this!”

Faye lowered her head. She’d wanted this, hadn’t she? To become Monara’s world…because that was more important to her than everything she knew in her human life. The people she’d cared for as Faye Brice.

She’d been selfish. Maybe…maybe not. Her mind dialled it back; even now, Faye knew that whether or not all this had happened, going back to her normal life wouldn’t have changed anything. Being a normal human just wasn’t possible for her…and now, she had the opportunity to see Monara’s world. To be with Monara there.

Her focus shifted to Monara, who seemed just as sullen as Faye herself. Whether or not chrysideans had hearts, a warm feeling seemed to well within that place in her chest. Monara worried about her. She’d worried about Monara. Monara had admitted her love. Was it something Faye had done yet? All of this, knowing what kind of trouble could arise, what kind of trouble she could get into…

…Monara had done it all out of love.

And at least Faye would still have that.

“He’s right,” Faye said softly. “I made this choice…and I’ll have to deal with the consequences.”

“No!” Selkie cried out, her arms closing around Faye’s arm. “You can’t let them do this to you!”

Faye looked to Selkie. Water had begun to flow from her visible eye. The other heroines, the friends she’d made five years ago, seemed just as disheartened. Hadn’t it felt back then that they’d be friends forever? They’d drifted apart, then managed to reunite…only for this to break them apart once more. Even if this hadn’t happened, would Lyris’s return have gotten the five of them back together in one room, made Holly realize how much she missed them and missed what she loved most in her past?

…how much would Faye miss all of them?

Turning around, the Helfeirch said in a low voice, “Come inside. We have much to discuss about this.”

As the avalerion descended the steps away from the archway, Starlet clapped a hand onto Faye’s shoulder. “There has to be another way, Faye! This…you can’t agree to this!”

She didn’t, and yet she had to. What if she didn’t, and Lleuad was right? What if knowing about what she’d done only caused chaos, paranoia, distrust? Would friends and families believe their loved ones had abandoned their humanity out of their own free will?

Taking another of Faye’s hands, Fennec whispered, in a voice that sounded near to tears, “I’ll miss you…”

Faye wished she could close her eyes. To not see the friends she now had to turn her back on. The four girls who’d been just like her, ordinary teenagers who’d discovered how unordinary they really were. Girls who knew they were the only thing standing between humankind and a threat they knew nothing about, one that twisted and cursed innocent people seemingly without remorse or mercy…

How would she have gotten through it without their strength? Their encouragement? Their companionship?

Even with the kind of inhuman beings they fought, the wicked things their powers were capable of, Faye had kept a bright and curious heart about everything they’d been forced into. How could she have done that without the four girls she considered her best friends in the world?

How hadn’t she realized their friendship was just as magical to her as the Outsiders themselves?

Magic… The one thing that’d given them the power to protect humankind. Even if they hadn’t understood why they’d received it, what it was truly capable of, it’d given them the power to have hope. It came from within, not just whatever mysterious source that created that inner warmth, but from what brought them happiness.

Only one thing right now would bring her happiness. The one thing she wanted most. For herself, for her friends, for the good of both worlds. Even if she had to give up seeing the beauty of the Outsider world as one of their kind…

Placing all four hands upon her chest, Faye focused. It was harder to do without being able to close her eyes, but she pictured that swarm of butterflies that was her magic. This time, she envisioned each one as a monarch butterfly, with wings just like the ones she now possessed, every single fluttering insect detailed and vivid in her imagination.

She asked herself, or maybe even that inner warmth, _Please…_

Her wings fluttered, as if conjuring a current of wind that guided those ethereal butterfly back into her being.

Faye’s feet lifted off of the ground.

Cries of surprise came from behind her as light enveloped her vision. She would have closed her eyes out of instinct, like always, had she been able to.

Beneath her upper hands, her lower arms…vanished. The weight of her wings faded, replaced with the feeling of heavier garments upon her body. When her feet touched down upon ground, they were clad in sneakers. The light faded away, and left Faye in darkness.

Because her eyes were closed.

Opening them, Faye saw her world through human eyes more.

“Faye!” Selkie shouted, running to her side. “How…you shifted back!”

“You are human once more?” Monara asked. Though her mouth was still, her upright antennae told Faye what she felt now.

Faye would have responded, if not for Fennec tackle-hugging her from behind. “Faye!” she cried out, squeezing her tight. Faye couldn’t help the laugh that came out.

Ahead of them, Lleuad had turned back, and now returned in a rapid stride. “What is this?” he shouted. “How have you… Monara told us the metamorphosis would be irreversible!”

“It…” Faye pondered how it could have worked, why it hadn’t previously. Because she’d wanted this now? “…it just worked this time…”

Behind her, Gala said, “Well, what happens if you try shifting?”

“‘Shifting’?” asked Lleuad.

“Now that’s something I’m wondering about too,” Starlet quipped.

And so did Faye. “I’ll need some space…” she noted with a chuckle.

Fennec let go of her, and the others stepped back. Faye placed her hands upon her chest, envisioning the butterflies emerging from the light of her spirit, countless monarchs erupting from within.

Light enveloped her body once more. The moment she felt the magical energy spreading into wide wings upon her back, that ether swirled around the fingers of an extra pair of hands, that Faye knew that Gala’s hunch had been correct.

When the light faded and Faye touched down upon her feet, they were the thin stalk-like legs of a chrysidean.

“That…” Lleuad said, “that is incredible!”

Faye stared at her hands, her chrysidean hands, all four of them. Had that really happened? Her friends’ surprise, even the Helfeirch’s stunned reaction…it had to be true.

“Faye, this is a miracle!” Monara said, taking hold of all four of Faye’s hands. “I was so fearful that you would have to leave your human life behind…”

Though Faye couldn’t think of something to say, Starlet quickly filled the air. “So you two really are a thing, aren’t you?”

“A thing?” asked Monara, her antennae twitching. “Why do you consider us objects?”

“That’s not what it means,” Selkie said, “when used like that. She means the two of you like each other.”

Monara’s lips spread into a smile. To Faye’s gratitude, though her face felt warm, she knew her chrysidean self was incapable of blushing.

“Well, well…” the avalerion said, crossing his arms. “This is all well and important, but we will have to share this development with the Embassy staff. Monara, we will need to speak with you as well.”

“So that’s all you need from us, then?” asked Gala.

“Guess so,” Faye replied. “We’ll get in touch afterwards?”

Gala answered with a smile and a nod.

“We’ll figure everything out while you two finish off here,” Starlet replied.

“I’ll see you later, Faye!” Selkie said.

“Bye, Faye,” Fennec said, and with a wide smile, she looked to Monara and said, “Bye, Monara.”

Faye looked at her friends’ smiles, her chrysidean eyes able to take them all in at once. Despite everything that had happened, having her friends together—and promising to get together more in the future—brought a wide smile to her face.

But as her fellow heroines departed and Faye shifted back to her human self, she hoped that she wouldn’t have to lose Monara after all that had happened.


	29. Worlds

A pair of agents accompanied Faye, Monara, and Lleuad to a pair of doors on the second floor of the Outsider Embassy. “Director Faheem is waiting for you,” one said. “Please, enter.”

The two agents held the doors open, giving enough room for Monara’s wings to pass through. Within the tan office was a middle-aged man sitting behind his oak desk, his hands together upon the wooden surface.

He raised his eyebrow as he looked over Faye and Monara. “I thought you had said there would be two chrysideans.” The nameplate before the grey-suited man read _Riyad Faheem - Director_.

“Circumstances…have changed,” Lleuad said. “Miss Brice has been able to return to her human self.”

“Is that so?” asked the Director. “Hadn’t Monara claimed it to be an irreversible change?”

“I had believed it would be,” Monara said. “But Faye was able to return to her normal self, and can transform into one of my kind.”

Faye nodded. “My friends and I always transformed into our magical forms. I guess that power still works even if my magical form is a butterfly-woman.” It hadn’t worked the first time…then, she’d been bitter towards her friends, defensive over her choice.

Lacing his fingers together, Director Faheem said, “This is…very interesting. But for now, we must discuss everything that has happened. Please sit, Miss Brice and Miss Monara.”

Faye sat in a leather chair across from the desk, while Monara perched upon an adjacent ottoman-like seat. Lleuad remained standing, looming behind the two.

Glancing to his computer, Director Faheem said, “We have several prepared responses to the incident. But I am correct that you have resolved the crisis?

“Yes, we have,” Faye said. The familiar bustle and noise of the human world, of home, filled the silence between sentences. “We stopped Queen Avonia, and she was taken into custody.” Glancing over to the window, Faye asked, “Have…have people panicked over the news about the threat?”

“That was a great concern to us,” Director Faheem said. “That even if crisis was averted now, humans would fear the potential for future danger. But our consultations with the public have not shown any significant chance in public attitude towards Outsiders.”

Faye breathed a sigh of relief, surprised at that herself.

A smile spread across the Director’s lips. “From citizens we’ve asked, it seems that potential distrust has been mitigated by the fact that it was an Outsider who warned humankind of the impending danger, who called the heroines into action. It showed that the threat was not one Outsiders here wished to come to fruition.”

“I am thankful to hear that,” Monara said, her antennae still lowered.

“As much of a relief as that is,” Lleuad said, “and as fortunate as we are that Miss Brice can return to her human self…there is still the matter of the one who caused this crisis to begin with.”

Faye sprang from her seat, facing Lleuad. “Please do not punish Monara for this.”

The avalerion didn’t answer at first. He clenched his fists, as if he wanted to bellow, but restrained himself out of civility and respect. “Had she changed any normal human, she could have irreparably damaged the relationship between our worlds. That she was fortunate for the nature of your own powers does not change the irresponsibility of her actions.”

Stepping towards Monara, Faye said, “Lleuad, Monara realized she should have never told me about it. It was her mother who planted the seed in her mind, and I chose to water it—she only went through with it because _I_ insisted, because I had wanted it myself. She didn’t let anyone else know, and tried to talk me out of it. It was…” She almost called it _foolishness_ , yet even now she dreamed of returning to the Outsider world as her chrysidean self. “It was just as much my fault as it was hers.”

Crossing his arms, the Helfeirch said, “Be that as it may—”

“She helped us stop her mother!” The avalerion recoiled ever so slightly. “She never wanted to cause trouble, just to…to make me happy. And I’m sure she’ll never mention metamorphosis to another human again.”

“I swear it upon my very wings, Lleuad,” Monara said, rising to stand beside Faye.

Lleuad’s fiery eyes glared between the two. Every time they shifted in Faye’s direction, she recalled other times powerful Outsiders had stared her down. Just like those moments, Faye did not flinch or avert her own gaze. “Please, Lleuad. All I ask is that you don’t punish Monara for what I made her do.”

A brief silence was broken by Director Faheem. “Helfeirch, perhaps it would be prudent to excuse what has happened. We will have to ensure that no other Outsiders speak of means to make humans into one of their own kind, but given that only Miss Brice and her fellow heroines know of her metamorphosis, I do not think any harm will come of it.”

The avalerion glanced to the Director, the fire in his eyes still as vigourous as ever. Then his stare returned to Faye. “Out of respect for your valour and honour, I shall oblige your request.”

Faye almost giggled, a response borne from a cross of nerves and surprise. She’d figured having saved humankind and bringing peace between worlds was worth something. “Thank you, Lleuad.”

“Now that that matter is resolved,” Director Faheem said, “there is more to discuss.”

Faye and Monara returned to their seats. “Please,” Faye said, “go on.”

“I do wish to assure you, Miss Brice,” said the Director, “that we have made no efforts to discover the identities of your companions, and will not do so in the future. However, your relationship with Monara was public, correct?”

How else would they have met? That Director Faheem had used _that_ word didn’t bother her at all. “Yes,” Faye replied. “We’ve met often in public.”

“As I am sure you can imagine, Monara’s attempt to contact your fellow heroines caused quite a stir. While I cannot say for certain how many people may recognize Monara as the Outsider who warned us of Avonia’s threat, it is possible that some may put the pieces together and suspect you of being one of the heroines.”

Only the possibility of her friends’ secrets coming out as well worried Faye, but not much. Would people figure it out for certain? Or would those who connected the dots just come off as conspiracy theorists? Shrugging, Faye said, “I’ll deal with it.” After all, she was just Faye Brice, a boring and normal human.

Glancing to his computer, Director Faheem said, “From Monara’s statements, it is my understanding that you became a chrysidean out of a desire to see the world of the Outsiders. Is that correct?”

“If that is so,” asked Lleuad, “could you not see our world as your…other self?”

Faye had considered that herself. Maybe she could have. “I wanted to protect my friends’ secrets. I figured if I became a chrysidean, I wouldn’t have to risk revealing myself as Papillon.”

“I see.” The avalerion’s tone seemed satisfied with her answer.

“As you would have been informed,” the Director continued, “as you perhaps know far better than us, we cannot know for certain what dangers for humans lie within the Outsider world. We cannot know what is safe to consume, if their fauna would prey upon humans, if their flora poses any risks for humans. As such, while many Outsider races have sent representatives and members into our world, very few humans have seen their world, and very little of it.”

“What are you suggesting, Director?” Lleuad asked.

Without his eyes leaving Faye, Director Faheem said, “With your knowledge of the Outsiders, and your ability to become one of their world, there is perhaps no person born of the human world who would fare better in the Outsider world than you, Miss Brice. As one who brought peace between our worlds, we would be honoured if you would join our staff here as an ambassador of our world to the Outsider world.”

Faye’s heart jumped in her chest, and the butterflies stormed in her stomach. “R-really? But…”

“You would be trained, of course. In diplomacy and representing our people. And I believe Lleuad would be capable of arranging for scholars of his world to teach you all that you may need to know.”

Silence fell over the room, prompting Faye to glance back to the avalerion. His arms were lowered, his eyes closed. When they opened once more, Lleuad said, “That could be arranged, yes. I believe you already know one of my world who would be happy to assist you in those duties.”

Faye didn’t need to ask who that was, and neither did that person themselves. “It would be my pleasure,” Monara said.

Though she couldn’t stop the smile from breaking out, Faye had to ask about Monara’s future. “But, with your mother…won’t you have to lead your people now?”

“That time will have to come sooner than I expected.” Monara’s antennae lowered to the sides. “But I am much too young to take leadership of my people. I will appoint our council to oversee my people. Aiding you will surely teach me as much as it will teach you.”

“Of course,” Director Faheem said, his printer churning to life and spitting out pages, “you would begin your training as soon as possible, and receive your salary upon joining.” Once the printer came to a stop, he took the sheets and handed them to Faye. “Please, read this over.”

Faye took the contract. Her eyes caught sight of the salary and widened instantly. “I…I…”

A hand rested upon her shoulder. “I think you would be an exceptional emissary of your people, Faye,” Monara said. “You certainly taught me much about your people.”

Faye closed her eyes, picturing the vistas of the Outsider world in her mind. All of those distant lands, places Monara described that Faye had only been able to imagine—being able to visit every one of them…

Was Elia right? Should she have just reached out and tried for something like this in the first place? Even if it meant revealing herself as Papillon?

“We will of course respect your wishes should you choose to decline,” Lleuad said, in a tone surprisingly soft for the avian Outsider. “But it would truly be an honour to serve alongside you, to once more have a Glint of hope and peace guiding our peoples to a bright future together.”

 _Glints of hope and peace_ … A smile crossed Faye’s lips as she closed her eyes, recalling the day she’d first heard those words. It hadn’t been long after the defeat of the Empress that the declaration of peace from the Outsiders was broadcast. Faye had watched intently, listening to each word of from the blurred figure on the screen. It had all seemed like a dream after it was over, but upon hearing the Outsider speak of the five of them as “ _Glints of hope and peace, shining together as a light to the future_ ”, the enormity of what she and her friends—and the Outsiders who had joined them against the Empress—had accomplished had truly sunken in. In a way, they hadn’t only saved their own world.

To continue forging that future together with the Outsiders… She opened her eyes and read the rest of the contract, though her mind had already been made up. Setting down the paperwork, Faye smiled and said, “I accept. I’ll happily become the ambassador for our world.”

Director Faheem rose from his seat, extending a hand. As Faye shook his hand, he said, “I am honoured as well to have your join us, Miss Brice. All the paperwork is ready to sign now.”

To her side, Lleuad extended his large hand. Faye carefully inserted her own, avoiding his talons. He gripped her hand gently, but lifted and lowered it a foot in each direction. Faye couldn’t help but to chuckle.

As the Director spread out the paperwork before Faye, she sat back down, her pulse racing. She glanced to Monara, who smiled with antennae aloft. Hadn’t this been what Faye had wanted all along? To not have to turn her back on the magic that had once been such a part of her life? To be doing something that felt meaningful again?

Monara rose from her seat, resting one pair of hands upon the back of Faye’s chair and the second pair upon her shoulders. Her smile grew wider, and as the Director handed her a pen, Faye didn’t hesitate.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

Further discussion and paperwork took nearly an hour, but Faye’s conviction didn’t waver in the slightest. Both the Director and the Helfeirch expressed their high hopes, handed her an envelope with copies of the paperwork, and bid her farewell.

Faye held one of the door open while Monara pushed the other open. Once the doors closed, Monara said, “Are you certain you wish to do this, Faye? You do not need to be an ambassador of your people to visit my world. I would show you everything myself.”

“I’m certain, Monara,” Faye said, her smile still as large. “I’ll be able to share everything about my world with the people of your world, to see all of the amazing places of your world with my own eyes. And I’ll be able to share it with the rest of my world.”

Monara’s antennae drooped. “My actions, my foolishness almost cost you your life here. I had believed you would be so much happier becoming part of my world, given your enthusiasm during our discussions. I did not realize how attached you were to your human life, and how close you were to your human friends.”

Sighing, Faye said, “Monara…neither did I. I wanted to have a magical life again so badly that I let myself forget how important my human life was to me.”

“If…if you were unable to turn back into a human…” The chrysidean’s antennae fell even further. “Did you think you would able to change back to your human self?”

Shaking her head, Faye said, “When I first awoke, after you and the others saved me from Avonia’s control…I tried it then, but it didn’t work.” Thinking back to all they’d said about their magical forms in the past, Faye added, “We knew our powers, the forms we took, had to do with our deepest passions, what was truly within our hearts. It was only after I remembered just how much my friends and my human life meant to me that I was able to change back.”

“Still, Faye…I am so very sorry for everything that has passed.”

“Don’t be.” Faye took one of Monara’s lower hands. “It wasn’t your fault, Monara. And everything’s okay now. We’ve saved the world, I have this amazing opportunity, and…” Her head lowered as she chuckled. She had to laugh; it was better than thinking about everything she might have lost. “…and I can be part of both worlds now.” She shook her head. “Maybe I could have been before, if I’d been willing to reach out and take it. But I don’t regret becoming one of your people, Monara. I don’t regret wanting to be with you.”

Her lips forming her own smile, Monara’s other lower hand took Faye’s.

“And I would have never worked up the nerve if I hadn’t gotten to know you, Monara. If you hadn’t been such a wonderful, welcoming friend.” Faye’s hands tightened around those rough, rigid fingers. “Monara, I’m really glad you became part of _my_ world.”

The chrysidean’s antennae perked. Did she understand the meaning of Faye’s phrase? Or had she taken it too literally?

After a few seconds, Monara’s upper pair of arms wrapped around Faye’s shoulders. Both leaned in, and their lips met. Monara’s dry lips still didn’t form a proper smooch, but the way her feathery antennae brushed against Faye’s hair was more than enough.

As their lips parted, Monara said in a low voice, “Faye, I must ask: am I performing a human kiss properly?”

Faye was far from an expert on that subject; all she could offer was a shrug. “Oh, you’re fine.”

Monara made an odd, soft chirp-sound, before leaning in to kiss once more. This time, her lips did attempt to match the way Faye’s pursed against hers.

The doors into the Director’s office creaked open. Faye recoiled from Monara’s face, staring to Director Faheem and Lleuad with wide eyes and rapidly-warming cheeks. The avalerion stood perfectly still, with no visible reaction to their embrace. The Director stared for a moment, then continued on his way past the two while Lleuad continued to stare.

“Is this embarrassing for you, Faye?” Monara asked, letting go of her.

Shrugging again, Faye said, “It’s…okay. But let’s get going.”

She headed for the stairs, with Monara close behind. Lleuad was still staring, standing still, the last Faye saw of him. As they descended into the entrance lobby, Monara said, “When shall we meet next, Faye?”

“Well, why don’t you come over to my place?” Faye said. “I’ll call the other girls over, and we’ll have a little…” Her voice trailed off as she remembered leaving her keys and phone with her clothes in the Outsider world. Yet…the clothes she wore now were the ones she’d removed before entering the cocoon. Did she…?

As she checked her pockets, Monara asked, “What is wrong?”

“Oh, nothing,” Faye said, finding her phone and keys. How had she gotten her stuff back? Did she have another copy of everything back in the Outsider world? Wouldn’t that be nice—this was her favourite sweater, after all! Faye chalked it up to another quirk of their magic, and turned back to Monara. “Like I was saying, we’ll have a little celebration. A quick get-together.” Though she hesitated to tell Monara their real names yet, Faye eagerly awaited to hear about everything her friends had been up to. Hearing about the acting life from Lyris, getting to know what Holly had been up to, catching up with Elia, discussing with Caitlyn what they’d all agreed to in the Outsider world…

“Would your fellow heroines come as their true selves?” Monara asked. “If they do not wish to reveal their secrets to me, I would understand.”

Faye would have to ask, but she replied, “I don’t think they’d mind. You’re practically our sixth musketeer now.”

“But none of you use muskets.”

Chuckling, Faye said, “Nevermind. But I’m sure they’ll all love to meet you.” After all, she already knew two of them—both of whom approved of their relationship.

“That would be delightful, Faye.”

Taking Monara’s hand, Faye said, “Let’s get going.”

Smiling, Faye and Monara walked out of the Outsider Embassy, into the bustle and marvel that was Garden City.


	30. Magical

The summer sun shone upon the portal courtyard, a cool breeze wafting over the tall concrete walls. Sitting on the edge of one of the planters, Faye browsed through the photos on her phone with a smile on her face. Pictures of her with her friends filled the screen, images of them at Elia’s or her own apartment or at restaurants. Messing around, posing, enjoying a big slice of apple pie. Lyris wasn’t in the latest pictures; she couldn’t stay away from the Hollywood life forever, but she’d kept in regular touch with Faye and the others.

Her gaze lingered upon one photo, which she enlarged. It was her and her friends, gathered in Caitlyn’s backyard under the oak tree. The six of them stood together—Holly, Elia, and Cait in front, Lyris and Faye behind them, and in the back was Monara. She was blurred in the image, but Faye could picture the moment and Monara perfectly in her mind.

In the next image she scrolled to, all six of them were blurred, the vague colours of their magical states serving as the only distinction between them. Lyris had squeezed in front, leaving Faye and Monara together in the back, their wings outspread. They’d been holding hands when the photo was taken, Faye remembered, even if their arms weren’t visible in the picture.

She glanced to the doors back into the Outsider Embassy, then checked the time on her phone. Monara was a bit late, but that was fine. Probably getting herself a coffee/hot chocolate before coming in. It’d been three months since their battle against Avonia, three months of training for her ambassador duties. Today, the second half of her training would begin. While Faye waited, she considered texting one of her friends, but who? All of them were probably busy on a Wednesday like today…

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

The professor finished her lecture, wishing the class a good day. Elia rose from her seat, stretching her arms. With all of the exercise she’d gotten from working at the Rec Center, she didn’t expect the cramps and aches that writing notes left her with.

The rest of the class rose up, but Elia waited for the crowd to thin. She glanced towards the exit, her eye drawn to—was that an unusual hat, or…

No, Elia realized with a gasp. It was a cnidarian! A female cnidarian had taken a seat at the back corner of the class, unannounced. Had she been there on prior days, or had she just shown up for today? As Elia wondered, the cnidarian stood up—if she didn’t act now, she might lose her chance. Braving the flow of students, Elia slipped out from her row of seats. She reached the cnidarian just as the Outsider woman picked up a notebook.

The jellyfish-Outsider noticed Elia’s stare, the bell upon her head glowing with a faint white tinted blue from the tone of her skin. She wore the usual skintight seaweed suit her people dressed in. Smiling, Elia asked, “Hey, hello!”

The cnidarian turned her head to Elia. Thought her expression remained blank, the white glow within her bell grew a touch stronger. “Hello,” she said. “Have we met before? I feel as if I recognize you.”

“Have you ever been to the local Rec Center?” Elia asked. “I work there at the pool. We’ve had Outsider visitors.”

“I have been there, so I suspect we did meet there. Greetings. My name is Cerua.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Cerua.” Elia stared at the notebook, wondering what was within? Class notes? “If you don’t mind me asking, I haven’t seen any other Outsiders here at Clarion University. Are you dropping in for a day, or are you studying here for longer?”

“I have been granted the opportunity to observe studies,” Cerua replied, turning her head to the front of the classroom. “When I was told about the fascinating aquatic life in your world, I wished to learn more. An arrangement was made to allow me to join in on lectures and studies here.”

“Cool,” Elia said. “I’ve always loved marine life myself. But I bet you must have some fascinating aquatic life in your world, too.”

“We do. I wish humans could witness what lives within the lakes and seas of my world. I am sure it would amaze you just as the creatures of your oceans mystify me.”

Elia nodded, trying to imagine what lurked in Outsider waters. She’d never tried it, and now wondered why she never had, but would her magical form allow her to breathe underwater? Even if Elia Maillard couldn’t explore the waters of the Outsider world, maybe one day Selkie could.

Cerua’s voice drew Elia away from her fantasy. “If you do not mind, perhaps we could talk about aquatic creatures sometime? I would love to learn what you know, and I would love to share my knowledge with you.”

Grinning, Elia said, “Sure! Are you free today? I’m not busy at the moment.”

“Yes, I have nothing else for the rest of the day. Where would you like to go?”

Pondering for a second, Elia went with the classic. “Do you drink coffee?”

“On occasion.”

“Then let’s stop by the campus coffeeshop. My treat.”

“Thank you. Shall we depart?”

Almost all of the other students had left, so the two headed for the exit. Just before they walked through the doors, a thought crossed Elia’s mind—memories, comparisons. She kept herself from laughing, not wanting to confuse Cerua with thoughts about other people.

Despite her effort, the cnidarian did ask, “Did an amusing thought occur to you?”

When Elia looked back, Cerua’s glow had turned a grey-green colour. Perhaps one day she would understand what a cnidarian’s glows meant. “Oh, it’s nothing. I just…I was thinking about a friend who was really curious about Outsider stuff.”

“Did she meet someone who could indulge her curiosity?”

Trying to hold back a giggle, Elia said, “Oh, yes. Her curiosity was indulged, indeed.”

Of all of the times she’d encountered and spoken with cnidarians, Cerua’s brief smile was the first time Elia had ever seen a facial gesture from one of her kind. Maybe…maybe Cerua knew Monara, knew exactly who Elia was talking about. Of all of the humans and all of the Outsiders, where they overlapped was a small world, after all.

For now, Elia cast those thoughts aside and headed out of the classroom with Cerua, eager to indulge her own curiosity.

And hopefully Cerua wouldn’t hook her up with some nice cnidarian dude.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

Sunglasses over her eyes, Lyris laid on the couch in her hotel suite. As exciting and glamourous as the not-that-glamourous-yet life of an actress who’d had her first big break was, it didn’t help with the usual exhaustion of travel, interviews, promotional stuff…plenty of talking, plenty of fancy outfits and fancy carpets, and barely enough sleep.

A short tune played from her phone, a saxophone solo from one of her dad’s songs. A text message. To her disappointment, it wasn’t one of the gang, but Duncan. _Awake boss? Something you might be into._

Sighing, Lyris took off her sunglasses and replied, _Sure._

As tempted as Lyris was to slip back into her nap, the inevitable knock would rouse her once again. The actual work, the countless takes, that was far more rewarding and less tiring than the rest of the package. Even if _Phantom Second_ had received middling critic reception, it was doing well with audiences and had earned a decent profit. Of the few reviews she’d bothered to read, one or two did single her out for praise. Maybe that’d get her foot in the door for more serious work.

After what seemed like an eternity of half-awake boredom, Duncan knocked on her door. Why the heck hadn’t she given Duncan a key? Lyris pulled herself off of the couch to answer the door. Duncan had his laptop tucked under his arm and an amused grin on his face. “Hey boss, you won’t believe what just came up.”

“Yes,” Lyris said in a half-yawning voice. “I might believe it’s a dream.” She followed him to the couch, where he opened his laptop. “So what’s the big deal?”

“An offer, of course.”

Rolling her eyes, Lyris said, “It couldn’t have waited? And I doubt it’s anything I’ll jump for, anyway.”

“You say that,” Duncan said, raising a finger, “but I’d say that you were _born_ for this role, Lyris.”

His enthusiasm was suspicious. Lyris hadn’t forgotten what he knew. “Well, out with it!”

Sliding the laptop closer to her, she immediately caught the working title of the project, not in the least because it was written in bolded all-caps: _**OUTSIDER**_.

“This isn’t a joke, is it Duncan?” Lyris said.

“Swear on my life, boss,” he answered. “Want to read through, or should I sum it up?”

“What do I pay you for?”

As Duncan cleared his throat, Lyris started to read for herself. “Well, it’s obviously inspired by what happened in that city you just _happen_ to come from, and those _mysterious_ ladies who defended the world from beings from another dimension. It’s about a romance between one of the defenders of humankind and one of the beings, that eventually leads to the salvation of the world. You’d be playing the female lead.”

His description seemed like a good summary. Not a lot of details, but they were probably still figuring out the plot. The description didn’t make mention of Outsiders, neither as actors nor as the actual beings of the story. Not that Outsiders could star in a live-action movie anyway, but maybe one day they could voice-act some CGI characters. What would acting alongside actual Outsiders be like?

“So,” Duncan asked, “sound like this is your cup of tea?”

“You know what?” Lyris said, leaning back in her seat with a smile. “This sounds neat. Like you said, I was _born_ for this role.”

“I figured as much!” Duncan said, grinning.

With a nudge in the ribs, Lyris replied, “No, I wasn’t ‘born’ for that at all. And I thought you knew so many secrets about me.”

“Careful, boss. Keep talking like that and all the tabloids will be laughing at how goofy you look trying to sleep with sunglasses on.”

“Go ahead,” Lyris replied, walking to the door and opening it for Duncan. “This whole acting thing doesn’t pay as much as I’d hoped. Maybe suing you would prove more lucrative.”

With a faux-shudder, Duncan stepped out of the suite, closing the door behind him.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

Not a single sound left Caitlyn during the entire drive. She couldn’t even look to Scott, instead fixing her stare out of the passenger window. All she’d asked of him was to keep an eye on Puplyn; his insistence on driving her still made her feel like a burden.

Scott pulled into the parking lot, finding a spot close to the building’s entrance.

“You okay, Cait?” Scott asked, putting a hand on her shoulder?

She nodded. It didn’t feel like as much of a lie if she didn’t actually speak.

“I know it must be intimidating,” Scott continued, “but you know it’ll help. I can walk in with you if you want. I’d be just outside for you.”

“No, Scott, it’s fine.” What if he overheard all of the things she needed to tell? All of the secrets she kept from him? Caitlyn glanced to him, to his friendly smile, her stomach sinking. Would he understand? What if he didn’t? What if trying to get this all off of her her chest ended poorly?

Reaching down to her hand, Scott said, “Whatever happened, you’re the kindest and bravest person I know. I’ve got faith in you, Cait.”

Everyone always told her that. Everyone had to keep telling her that. Even Caitlyn had to tell herself that, whenever she saw an Outsider out on the street or whenever Faye visited with Monara. “I’m just…nervous. Scared.” She’d have to talk about that moment, talk about her memories of it…

“I understand. You’ve got some time; take a minute if you need to. This is going to help, Cait. I know it.”

She closed her eyes, taking slow and deep breaths.

Giving her hand a squeeze, Scott said, “I mean…it’ll be easier than saving the world, right?”

Caitlyn’s eyes sprang open. She nearly jumped up, but her seatbelt kept her still. “What?” she gasped, looking to Scott before glancing all around outside of the car. “What do you…I mean…how…how did you…”

With a small shrug, Scott said, “That day you asked me if I could take care of Puplyn…I’d seen that Outsider on the news, and not even half an hour later you were calling me. I figured it was no coincidence.”

If he’d figured it out… Caitlyn began to shake. Who else?

“Don’t worry,” he said, unbuckling to reach around her shoulders. “I don’t think anyone at work knows. They just figured you weren’t feeling well that day. I’m sure they’ll all want you to do this, Cait, for _you_. I certainly do.”

She looked into his brown eyes, feeling her smile grow more and more. All of this time, worrying about what other people would think, and yet the people around her had the utmost faith in her. So why did she doubt herself so much?

Giving Scott a quick kiss, Cait said, “Thank you. I’m ready.”

Taking another deep breath, Caitlyn got out of the car and walked into the building. She took the elevator to the fifth floor, where the Garden City Center of Psychology resided. A smiling receptionist greeted her; Caitlyn thanked her and sat down, her mind focusing on how much to tell the therapist during their first meeting.

A minute later, a woman in a grey suit walked out. “Miss Wallace?” she asked, holding out a hand.

Caitlyn rose up, taking her handshake. “I’m Dr. Sidney Owens,” the woman replied. “Please, come with me into my office.

Dr. Owens’s office was a bright white room, illuminated by a wide window with Garden City’s downtown beyond. She sat down in her armchair, swinging over a small table attached to the arm. As Caitlyn sat down into a soft beige recliner, Dr. Owens asked, “How would you prefer to be addressed? Miss Wallace? Caitlyn or Cait, or…”

“Caitlyn or Cait are fine,” Caitlyn answered.

Checking her papers, Dr. Owens said, “Please, tell me why you’ve come to see me, Caitlyn.”

She needed a few moments to figure out where to begin, how to begin, how much to tell. Thinking about all of the times that Holly, Faye, Elia, and Lyris had talked to her about it, the times they’d told her of their confidence in her discretion, helped Caitlyn start. “I’ve been struggling with…memories I have. Five years ago, back when the Outsiders were invading our world…”

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

Her hands together behind her back, Holly stood before the panel. She had to remember to breathe, to keep a confident expression on her face. With all of the presentations she’d done involving multi-million-dollar deals, how was this the sort of thing she got stage fright over?

Ten minutes passed before the five judges returned to the table. The first judge said, “On behalf of the Garden City’s Bakers’ Association,” she said, “we thank all of you for coming out and participating. We have had the opportunity to sample the work of excellent bakers in our community. Alas, there can only be one top pie, so without further ado, we shall name the top three.”

Clearing her throat, the judge said, “In third place…Holly Smith!”

Holly’s heart jumped before the applause began. She hadn’t expected first in her wildest dreams, but third? With how long it’d been since she’d taken baking seriously?

“In second place is…Steward Peil!” the judge announced. “And for first place…Melinda Ralls!”

The small crowd and participants applauded. Three of the judges placed ribbons upon the pies, beckoning the three winners to the front. Holly stood with her pie, smiling as the cameras before her flashed. Was this a dream? She felt so giddy, like she was a teenager again, back when she had fantasies of being a world-famous apple chef with her very own orchard…

Once the pictures were taken, the chefs welcomed the audience up to sample. As Holly munched on a thin slice of her own applie pie, a blonde woman in a frilly pink apron approached—Melinda, the woman who’d won first place. “Well, hello!” she said, grinning. “Congratulations. This is the first time you’ve been here, isn’t it? Mind if I have a slice?”

“Go ahead,” Holly said, nodding. “I guess you’ve been here a few years, huh? How many first places over the years?”

“Quite a few,” Melinda said, chuckling. “I’d better get first place—baking’s my job, after all!” She took a bite of Holly’s pie. “Mmm, that is delightful! A nice balance to more sour or cinnamony pies.”

“Well, thank you,” Holly said. “I’d try yours, but I imagine everyone’s already taken all of it.”

“True, but if you’re ever in need of a nice treat in a pinch, you should come down to my place. Ralls’ Bakery on Rome Street.”

Holly nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind. I mostly bake for my friends, but this was…fun. Especially since I won a prize.”

Melinda laughed, careful not to lose her slice of pie. “There is something delightful about baking for loved ones. But do you ever think about baking full-time?”

Those silly teenage fantasies flooded Holly’s mind again, the ones she’d considered herself too “mature” for now. “Yeah, when I was younger. But you know how teenagers think…a little pie-in-the-sky, really.”

“Everyone starts somewhere, Holly. I actually have a position available at my bakery at the moment, if that’s your slice of pie.”

Holly thought of her current job at Powerwell. The salary was nice, the hours fine, but…but did the prospect of business excite her as much as being able to do nothing but bake all day? “I’ll certainly have to visit your bakery, then. And I’ll consider it.”

“Sounds wonderful! I hope to see you again one day!” Melinda finished her slice of Holly’s pie, then walked away to talk to other guests.

The crowd was getting a bit too much, so Holly walked out of the community center. As the doors closed behind her, keeping the aromas of apple pies within, Holly stopped them and headed back inside. She’d have to think over Melinda’s offer, maybe over samples of the other pies.

= ~ = ~ = ~ = ~ =

Just as Faye checked the time on her phone, the nearby doors opened. She sprang to her feet, slipping her phone into her pocket. Monara approached, dressed in a silk outfit resembling a cross between a chrysidean dress and a human business suit, with no sleeves on the jacket and an asymmetrical skirt. Faye loved it—she’d have to ask Monara for an outfit like that, for both of her selves. Monara was slowly poking at the screen of her own phone, pausing mid-stride for a moment before slipping the phone into a pocket in her outfit.

“So,” Faye said as she walked over, “what’ll we be doing today?”

“We will have to start teaching you Outsider languages,” Monara said. At Faye’s raised eyebrow, Monara smiled and said, “Do not worry. The codexes we use to learn languages should allow you to learn quickly. We shall start with the chrysidean language first, as far more people of my world will understand my tongue than your language. And it will allow you to understand my people, so that I may introduce you to them.”

“Sounds like fun,” Faye replied. “And at last I’ll know what you’re saying to other Outsiders.” Hopefully, it had been nothing in particular about Faye.

“So shall we depart now?”

Faye nodded. Taking a step back, she placed her hands upon her chest. Butterflies emerged from her inner spark, enveloping her vision and form in light. When her feet touched ground once more, the light faded to reveal her widened vision. She glanced down at her chrysidean body, clad in a long silk dress with matching gloves on all four of her arms up to just before the shoulder. Monara too had wondered just what happened to Faye’s outfits between transformations; when she had asked, Faye’s only answer had been to shrug and utter, “Magic.”

Monara approached, standing by Faye’s side. Faye reached out with both of her right hands. Her upper hand took Monara’s, while her lower hand…missed by an inch and poked Monara’s side. “Whoops,” Faye said, smiling as the very tips of her antennae tilted down. “Still getting used to them…”

Taking Faye’s lower hand, Monara replied, “I understand. You have much to learn, Faye. I will have to teach you to weave a cocoon, of course.”

As the two walked up the steps towards the archway, Faye began to wonder something. “Um…Monara…do you think…I’d produce silk?”

“I do not see why you would not.”

“Okay, well…umm…” How in both worlds could she phrase this? “…w-where does my silk come out of?”

To her relief, Monara merely smiled, without a hint of amusement at the topic. “I will teach you that as well.”

Monara raised her free hands. The hands between them remained tight together, even as the purple light enveloped them and lifted their feet off of the concrete beneath them. Faye looked to Monara, whose smile was just as wide as Faye’s as the violet aura washed away the human world around them.

But no matter what wonders awaited her, what magical beauty and mystery she would discover, Faye knew she would be just as happy when she came back to her human life.

**The End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading.


	31. [Teaser] Three years later...

Feet clad in feathered boots stepped onto the ledge around the roof, peering down into the street. The other heroines had already gathered below, their magic clashing against that of the latest monster to threaten Garden City.

Dove closed her eyes, though she still observed the battle in the street through her magical senses. Her wings spread wide, and her sword materialized within her grasp.

When her eyes opened, her brow was furrowed, her eyes steeled with conviction as she leapt from the rooftop. She glided downwards, her wings guiding her path, her speed accelerating as she neared the battle.

The monster lashed out with shadowy tendrils, but one of the heroines popped open the umbrella she held, blocking each strike. As soon as she had a break in the barrage, she let out a shout and spun the umbrella rapidly, conjuring a tornado that blasted the monster back.

Then Dove caught the glint of her eye, the telltale widening. As shining light wreathed Dove’s sword, the heroine raised her umbrella, holding it aloft as Dove swung the blade down towards her.

* * *

_To be continued in…_  
**_Glints Saga: Dove_ **   
_…starting in July 2020._


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